Computer-implemented method for specifying a processing operation

ABSTRACT

The disclosed subject matter provides for specifying a processing operation by means of a gesture by way of a first and second database, tables, organizational graphs, organizational nodes, KPI-values (including aggregated KPI values, O-aggregated KPI-values), and an application where the application displays the O-aggregated KPI values retrieved from the first database or received from the second database in an organization view of the GUI, the organization view displaying the current organization node and its direct child organization nodes, the organization view enabling the user to navigate within the organization graph, whereby a selection of one of the displayed organization nodes triggers a re-execution wherein the selected organization node is used as the current organization node.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of computer systems, and moreparticularly without limitation to the field of specifying a processingoperation by means of a gesture.

BACKGROUND AND RELATED ART

US2006/0173731A1 shows a system for facilitating employee evaluationshaving a graphical user interface for the user. The software applicationprovides personalized desktop portaling for the reviewer as well asrubrics and templates for establishing evaluation criteria for variouspositions and job descriptions. Report assembly modules generate anevaluation report that includes declarative statements corresponding tochecklist entries as well as inclusion of evaluator comments.

In US2008/0065467A1, US2006/0020509A1 US2008/0015912A1 andUS2010/0070348A1, various methods are described relating to theevaluation of business-related entities such as supply/demand equitiesfor jobs, historical production data, relating to workforce management,and business performances.

US 2006/0010164 describes a centralized key performance indicatorframework consistent therein KPIs can be defined in centrally stored ina data store. A generic application program or users thereof caninteract with and display KPI data without knowing anything a prioryabout the stored data or the structure thereof. W2009/154484A2 describesa method and system for data with utilization, wherein a learningalgorithm is used. US 2006/0235778 A1 describes a method for selectingperformance indicators for organizations.

US 20100125816 discloses a method for providing inputs to a mobiledevice by tilting the device to the right or left.

WO 2010/046147 A1 relates to a method for displaying information whereina partial amount of a list is displayed on a display surface. Thatpartial amount comprises a plurality of list entries. The displaypartial amount of the list is modified by a first operating action by auser, wherein the list entries of the list are successively run throughby the first operating action. Multiple list entries are skipped bymeans of a second operating action in order to reach a list entry thatis not contained in the partial amount of the list entries displayed.Such an operation may be, for example, a movement of a finger on ascreen.

US 20100037184 A1 discloses a portable electronic device including amotion detection module and a storage system. The motion detectionmodule is configured for determining a direction of movement of theportable electronic device when orientation of the portable electronicdevice has been changed. The motion detection module is configured forgenerating an input signal associated with the movement and providingthe input signal to an application of the portable electronic device toinitiate an operation performed by the application. The input signalincludes menu position information of a menu item of the application.

US 20070067738 A1 discloses a method for providing an improved userinterface for mobile devices. Access to data and services from multiplesoftware applications can be provided through a group of list items.Each group or list can include multiple items, which can be associatedwith data or tasks from multiple applications.

US 20100175026 A1 describes a system and method which graphicallydisplays similar or disparate forms of information for the purpose ofsorting, searching, organizing, accessing, and using the informationthat contains a revolving carousal. US201058248 A1 describes a methodfor generating a graphical user interface for building a managementsystem. The method includes rendering a graphical representation of athree-dimensional object in the graphic user interface, whereby one ormore surfaces of the graphical representation of this three-dimensionalobject includes a plurality of windows respectively configured to host awidget.

WO 2005/093550 A2 describes a method and apparatus for operating aportable device based on an accelerator. And etc. meter attached to aportable device detects a movement of the portable device. In response,a machine executable code is executed with the portable device toperform one or more predetermined user configurable operations.

US 2010/0156818 discloses a method and system for processing touchinputs, the method comprising: reading data from a multi-touch sensingdevice and identifying at least one multi-touch gesture based on thedata from the multi-touch sensing device and providing a hecticresponse.

US 20090153492 A1 describes an interactive media display system beingoperable to display media associated with a selected geographic areabased on a gesture input of a user. A geographic map is displayed and agesture input generated by a user on the touch sensitive display surfaceis received, the gesture input defining a selected geographic area onthe geographic map.

Typically, application programs designed for managing and/or evaluatingKPIs and/or complex industrial manufacturing processes are designed forreceiving input from a user by means of a mouse and a keyboard however,many employees using such applications spend a considerable fraction oftheir working time in a plane, a train, a taxi or other form of vehiclewhere there is not enough space for using a mouse or a keyboard.Further, a growing fraction of employees do not use conventionalnotebooks or netbooks but rather use processing devices having the formof a table, for example Apple's iPhone or iPad. Said kind of mobiledevices come with a touch sensitive screen and device components beingoperable to detect tilting and/or shaking motions applied on the mobiledevice by the user.

Hence, there is a need in the art for application programs for keyperformance indicator processing and/or performance management andemployee evaluation wherein said application programs do not rely on aninput of a user provided via a mouse or a keyboard.

SUMMARY

It is an objective of embodiments of the invention to provide animproved computer-implemented method and system for specifyingprocessing operations, in particular processing operations related tokey performance indicator processing and display. This objective issolved by the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodimentsof the invention are given in the dependent claims.

A ‘key performance indicator’ (KPI) as used herein are any kind ofparameters used to present the status and/or trends of any kind ofentity, in particular organizations, companies, departments, machines,persons, and the like. Each KPI may have assigned a KPI value relatingto a particular entity. A KPI may also be used for storing contextinformation of a particular entity, e.g. the temperature or humidity ofthe room in which a particular machine or manufacturing process islocated. In order to evaluate the performance of a particular entity,different sets of KPIs may be used. For example, a department of acompany may have assigned KPIs such as the annual turnaround, the annualprofit, the total number of vacation days, and the like. It may alsohave assigned KPIs such as the size of the department measured in squaremeters, the country or region a department is located at, the name ofthe leader of the department, and the like. Each entity may haveassigned a KPI for which an aggregated KPI value can be calculated basedon the KPI values assigned to its “child entities” or “child nodes”. Forexample, although a department may not be able to take holidays itself,the total number of holidays of a department may be calculated as thesum of all holidays taken in a year by the employees of that department.In other words, a KPI is any kind of parameter which can be used todescribe and/or evaluate a particular entity of the real-world and howthat entity may perform in the future.

In computing, a graphical user interface (GUI) is a type of userinterface that allows users to interact with electronic devices withimages rather than text commands. A GUI represents the information andactions available to a user through graphical icons and visualindicators, herein also referred to as ‘GUI elements’, as opposed totext-based command interfaces. Actions are usually performed by a userthrough direct manipulation of the graphical elements.

A ‘view’ as used herein comprises any arrangement of GUI elements on agraphical user interface displaying a user data related to a particulartopic or problem. A view may comprise selectable GUI elements allowing auser to select or modify the displayed information and/or GUI elementsand to dynamically interact with the displayed GUI elements forcontrolling functions of the application program providing for saidview.

A ‘web service’ as used herein denotes any kind of communicationtechnology for exchanging data between two processing devices via anetwork. The term ‘web service’ therefore includes web services in thestrict sense, e.g. RESTful web services, but also includes technologiesfor exchanging data via SMSs, via Http requests, via remote procedurecalls (RPC), CORBA, DOOM, RMI or any other communication technology. Inparticular, the term web service refers to web services in the strictsense, conforming to the specification of the world wide web consortium(W3C).

An ‘O-aggregated KPI value’ is a value having been calculated byaggregating KPI values assigned to one or more organization nodes of anorganization graph according to the topology of said organization graphby applying an aggregate function. Said aggregate function may be, forexample, a summarization, a maximization, a minimization operation or acomplex mathematical algorithm.

Analogously, an ‘R-aggregated KPI value’ is a value having beencalculated by aggregating KPI values directly or indirectly assigned toone or more region nodes of a region graph according to the topology ofsaid region graph.

A ‘T-aggregated KPI value’ as used herein is an O-aggregated KPI valuehaving been calculated by aggregating KPI values assigned to one or moreorganization nodes of an organization graph according to the topology ofsaid organization graph, whereby said T-aggregated KPI value in additionhas assigned a rank position within an ordered list of the highestO-aggregated KPI values having been calculated for said KPI and for aplurality of organization nodes.

A ‘L-aggregated KPI value’ as used herein is an O-aggregated KPI valuehaving been calculated by aggregating KPI values assigned to one or moreorganization nodes of an organization graph according to the topology ofsaid organization graph, whereby said L-aggregated KPI value in additionhas assigned a rank position within an ordered list of the lowestO-aggregated KPI values having been calculated for said KPI and for aplurality of organization nodes.

A ‘multi-touch input device’ as used herein is any processing device,e.g. a personal computer, notebook, netbook, smartphone, IPAD or thelike which is capable of recognizing two or more simultaneous touches asinput. For example, a multi-touch input device can comprise amulti-touch screen being operable to dynamically determine the positionof one or more objects on the screen and using said data as input of theuser for controlling applications and entering data.

A ‘pinch gesture’, as used herein is a form of multi-touch user input inwhich the user typically touches two points on the input device with twofingers, before moving them closer together or further apart from eachother.

In one aspect, the invention relates to a method for providing aplurality of aggregated KPI-values of a plurality of different KPIs froma server to one or more views of a GUI of a client processing device.The method comprises:

-   -   providing the client processing device, the client processing        device being a mobile, hand-held electronic appliance, the        client processing device comprising a touch-screen for        displaying the one or more views of the GUI, an application        program, means for receiving log-in data of a user, and a first        database;    -   providing for a server processing device, the server processing        device being operatively coupled to a second database, wherein        the first database and the second database respectively comprise        an organization graph, each organization node of the        organization graph having assigned one or more KPI values, the        server processing device comprising a plurality of web-service        interfaces being accessible by the application program. Each        web-service interface is operable to receive a request for one        or more KPIs being particular to said interface. In addition,        each interface is operable to return an aggregated KPI value        read from the second database; For example, each organization        node of the organization graph may represent a user or a user        group of a company or another organization. The first and the        second database respectively comprise a first table for storing        O-aggregated KPI-values, each O-aggregated KPI value being        calculated for one of the organization nodes and one of the KPIs        by aggregating KPI values of said one KPI being assigned to said        one organization node and to any of its direct or indirect child        nodes;    -   receiving the log-in data of the user by the application        program;    -   identifying one organization node of the organization graph as        the organization node representing the logged-in user and using        said identified node as current organization node;    -   A) determining one or more first KPIs for the current        organization node;    -   B) accessing, by the application program, the first table of the        first database for retrieving O-aggregated KPI values for the        one or more first KPIs;    -   C) in case the O-aggregated KPI values could not be retrieved        from the first database, determining from the plurality of web        service interfaces one or more first web-service interfaces        being operable to receive and process a request for the one or        more first KPIs;    -   D) querying, by the application program, the determined first        web service interfaces via a network for receiving the        O-aggregated KPI values of the first KPIs;    -   E) storing, by the application program, the O-aggregated KPI        values received from the second database in the first table of        the first database;    -   F) displaying, by the application program, the O-aggregated KPI        values retrieved from the first database or received from the        second database in an organization view of the GUI, the        organization view displaying the current organization node and        its direct child organization nodes, the organization view        enabling the user to navigate within the organization graph,        whereby a selection of one of the displayed organization nodes        triggers the re-execution of the steps A-F, wherein the selected        organization node is used as the current organization node.

Said features may be advantageous for a plurality of reasons: the clientprocessing device doesn't have to calculate any aggregated KPI value byitself. Rather, the client processing device merely reads aggregatedKPIs from the first database. Only in case the requested aggregated KPIvalues are not contained in the first database, the client device triesto receive the aggregated KPI values from the server processing deviceover the network. This reduces the network traffic and in additionguarantees that the client processing device is operable to work even incase no network connection is available, provided that the firstdatabase is filled with data. Said features may be particularlyadvantageous, because a network connection may not always be available,e.g. during a flight or in many hospitals. A client which wouldcompletely rely on the data provided by the server would not beoperative without a network connection.

In a further advantageous aspect, the processing load of the clientdevice is reduced, because the client device never calculates theaggregated KPI values but rather receives the aggregated KPI values fromthe second database running on the server processing device. A serverprocessing device may be accessed by a plurality of client computingdevices. A server processing device is typically equipped withsufficiently powerful hardware resources for processing a huge amount ofdata and for efficiently calculating the aggregated KPI values. Thereby,also client processing devices with limited hardware resources can beused for quickly providing the user with KPI values having beenaggregated over a plurality of different entities.

In a further advantageous aspect, the aggregated KPI values requested bythe application program are not requested and received via one singleweb service interface, but rather via a plurality of web serviceinterfaces, whereby each web service interface represents acharacteristic set of KPIs. Said features may be advantageous inparticular if a huge amount of different KPIs is requested by theapplication program, and in particular when the application programneeds to evaluate different sub-sets of KPIs in different applicationcontexts. By using a plurality of web service interfaces respectivelyrepresenting different sets of KPIs, it is not necessary to exchangeaggregated data values of all KPIs via one single generic interface inone single, generic data structure but it is rather possible toindividually query one or more interfaces representing the requested KPIsub-sets which are needed in a particular application context. Usinghighly generic interfaces may have the drawback that the server and alsothe client has to invest more processing effort in order to extract froma generic data format the information the client is actually interestedin a given application context. Said effort can be reduced by using aplurality of different interfaces being particular to a sub-set of oneor more KPIs being of interest in a particular application context.

In a further advantageous aspect, ‘modularizing’ the retrieval ofaggregated KPIs by means of a plurality of web services respectivelyrepresenting different sets of KPIs may be advantageous, because in casesaid interfaces are used for updating the first database, the sequenceof KPIs whose aggregated values are retrieved from the second databaseduring the update process can be dynamically changed by changing thesequence of web service interfaces queried during the update process.Thus, the data a user is most interested in can be downloaded first,whereby the data and the corresponding KPIs considered as most importantmay vary between different users and/or application contexts. Forexample, a user of the client processing device may use the applicationprogram in five different application context, e.g. for evaluating afirst, a second and a third industrial manufacturing process and forevaluating the financial figures of a first and a second department of acompany. The five application contexts respectively require receivingaggregated KPI values for the KPI subsets {KPI1-KPI6}, {KPI4-KPI12},{KPI1, KPI13}, {KPI5-KPI26} and {KPI20-KPI30}.

According to embodiments, the web services are web services in thestrict sense of the word. They are software systems designed to supportinteroperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network having aninterface described in a machine-processable format specified in a WebServices Description Language WSDL and using SOAP messages. Using saidtype of web services may be particularly advantageous as they allow theprovision of a plurality of individually addressable (and thereforemodular) interfaces for retrieving aggregated KPI values from theserver, each web service being callable by the same set of client sideclass libraries and interfaces.

The client processing device, herein also referred to as ‘client’,‘frontend data processing means’ or ‘frontend’ can be, for example andwithout limitation, a mobile phone, an iPad, an iPod, smart phones basedon various operating systems such as android, and the like. The networkcan be, for example, the Internet, an intranet, a mobile communicationnetwork, and the like. The server computer system and the operativelyconnected second database may respectively be stand-alone systems or maybe provided as part of a cloud if cloud computing technology isutilized.

The server computing system, herein also referred to as ‘server’,‘backend data processing means’ or ‘backend’ may comprise or beoperatively coupled to at least one data source, such as an enterpriseresource planning (ERP) system or one or more databases. The at leastone data source can be an integral part of the server computer system orof an external processing system. The server computer system maycomprise a KPI aggregation module for retrieving non-aggregated KPIvalues from the ERP system, aggregating the retrieved KPI values andstoring the aggregated KPI values into the second database. Theaggregation may be executed according to a predefined schema, e.g. on adaily or weekly basis, whereby said aggregation may be based, forexample, on the execution of cron jobs.

In a further advantageous aspect, specifying sets of KPIs being providedvia one common web service and a corresponding web service interfaceallows each web service running on the server processing device to cachethe aggregated KPI values having been retrieved from the seconddatabase. The cached aggregated KPI values are then immediatelyavailable in case another client device should request the same set ofKPIs. Thus, a two-fold caching of requested aggregated KPI values can beprovided, a first caching provided by the individual web services and asecond caching provided by database-internal caching routinesimplemented by the second database. Thus, data retrieval is furtheraccelerated as requested aggregated KPI values are read from the cacheinstead of the second database if available.

In a further advantageous aspect, providing multiple different webservice interfaces and corresponding web services allows to create webservices which are adapted for providing all aggregated KPI values whichare necessary in order to display a particular view on the touch screenof the client device.

For example, a user may log into the application program running on theclient. Upon having received the user's login data, an organization noderepresenting said user is identified by the application program, andinformation on said user as well as on persons or other entities beingsubordinates of the logged-in user according to the topology of theorganization graph are displayed in the organization view. For example,said organization view may display one GUI element for the logged-inuser and one element for each direct subordinate of said user. Each ofsaid GUI elements may comprise one or more aggregated KPI values, e.g.the number of vacation days, the turnaround, the profit achieved by therepresented person. Other KPI values such as the temperature of a roomwherein several manufacturing processes are performed may be completelyirrelevant in this context and for a current view. The current view maybe chosen by the application program automatically or may be displayedin response to a selection by the user. Accordingly, specifying aparticular web service and corresponding interface which merely providesfor the KPIs ‘vacation days’, ‘turnaround’, ‘profit’ but not for anyother KPIs is advantageous, because for a particular view only some webservices and only a fraction of the available aggregated KPI values needto be retrieved.

In a further advantageous aspect, a synergistic effect is reached byproviding the aggregated KPI values via a plurality of different webservice interfaces in combination with trying to receive the aggregatedKPI values from the first database before accessing the second database:the access to the second database is avoided whenever possible, therebyavoiding unnecessary network traffic and increasing, at the same time,the speed of retrieving the aggregated KPI values for display. Saidapproach also increases the robustness against a network failure. Byusing multiple KPI-set specific web service interfaces instead of onegeneric interface, the amount of data transferred and the time untilsaid data can be used by the client is reduced. Thus, both features helpavoiding network traffic and to minimize the necessary traffic.

The first KPIs can be determined for the current organization node invarious ways. For example, all KPIs stored in association with saidorganization node can be used. According to some embodiments, the set ofKPIs stored in association with a particular organization node may varyor the application program may dynamically determine a sub-set of allKPIs stored in association with a particular organization node and usesaid determined sub-set as first KPIs. For example, said sub-set may bedetermined in dependence on the view currently displayed by the user orother parameters of the current application context. The determinationof the first KPIs may likewise be based on a user selection provideddynamically via a GUI and/or provided upon program start, e.g. based ona configuration file. The KPIs of interest may also depend on thehierarchical level of the current organization node within theorganization tree. For example, some KPIs may be defined only forcompany branches, not for individual departments and vice versa.

According to the embodiments, the plurality of different views isgenerated for display by the application program.

According to the embodiments, the first and the second database furtherrespectively comprise a region graph, the region graph comprising regionnodes, each region node representing a geographic region. Each regionnode is stored in association with one or more of the organizationnodes, whereby the first and the second databases respectively comprisea second table for storing R-aggregated KPI-values.

Each R-aggregated KPI value is calculated for a unique combination ofone of the region nodes and one of the KPIs by aggregating KPI values ofsaid one KPI being assigned to any of a set of organization nodes, saidset comprising said one organization node and its direct and indirectchild organization nodes, wherein the organization nodes of said setbeing stored in association with said one region node. Thus, aggregatedKPIs can be calculated e.g. for all subordinates of a particularemployee whose corresponding organization nodes have assigned a regionsaid employee, e.g. a CEO, is interested in.

According to the structure of the second table each table row representsa unique combination of a region node and an organization node, each ofthe KPIs being represented by one column of the second table, wherebyeach cell specified by a particular row and a particularKPI-representing column is used for storing an R-aggregated KPI-valuecalculated for the KPI of said cells' row and for the region node andthe organization node of said cell's column.

The method further comprises the steps of: displaying a region view onthe GUI, wherein at least some region GUI elements of the region viewrespectively represent one of the region nodes; receiving a signal beingindicative of one of the region GUI elements selected by the user;identifying one region node of the region graph as being represented bythe selected region GUI element and using the identified region node ascurrent region node; G) determining one or more second KPIs for thecurrent region node; H) accessing, by the application program, thesecond table of the first database for retrieving R-aggregated KPIvalues for one or more second KPIs for the current region node; I) incase the R-aggregated KPI values could not be retrieved, determiningfrom the plurality of web service interfaces one or more secondweb-service interfaces being operable to receive and process a requestfor the second KPIs; J) querying, by the application program, thedetermined second web service interfaces via a network for receiving theR-aggregated KPI values of the second KPIs; K) storing, by theapplication program, the R-aggregated KPI values received from thesecond database in the second table of the first database; L)displaying, by the application program, the R-aggregated KPI valuesretrieved from the first database or received from the second database,in the region view of the GUI, the region view displaying at least oneregion GUI element representing the current region node, the region viewenabling the user to navigate within the region graph, whereby aselection of one of the displayed region nodes triggers the re-executionof the steps G-K, whereby the selected region node is used as thecurrent region node.

According to embodiments, a region view may comprise a graphical map,e.g. a global map, a continent-specific map or a regional map. The usermay be enabled to zoom into or out of the map and to select one or moregeographic sub-regions, e.g. a particular country, a particular city andthe like. Each such sub-region may be represented by a region GUIelement, e.g. a part of the geographic map. Upon selecting a particularcountry, the region node representing the selected country is selectedas current region node.

The second KPIs can be determined for the current region node in variousways. For example, all KPIs stored in association with an organizationnode stored in association with the current region node can be used.According to some embodiments, the set of second KPIs may dynamically bedetermined by the application program as a sub-set of said theoreticallyavailable KPIs. For example, said sub-set may be determined independence on the view currently displayed by the user or otherparameters of the current application context. The determination of thesecond KPIs may likewise be based on a user selection provideddynamically via a GUI and/or provided upon program start, e.g. based ona configuration file. The KPIs of interest may also depend on thehierarchical level of the current region node within the region graph.For example, some second KPIs may be defined only for countries, not forcities and vice versa.

According to embodiments, the first and the second database furtherrespectively comprise a third table. According to the structure of thethird table each row represents a unique combination of one particularorganization node and one particular KPI. Each of a plurality of‘T-columns’ respectively represents a top rank position, and each of aplurality of ‘L-columns’ respectively represents a low rank position.The ‘T-aggregated KPI values’ and the ‘L-aggregated KPI values’ arecalculated for each unique combination of one of the KPIs and one of theorganization nodes by:

-   -   using all organization nodes being direct child nodes of said        one organization node as current organization nodes,    -   for each of said current organization nodes, and for said one        KPI, calculating an O-aggregated KPI value,    -   sorting said O-aggregated KPI values in descending order for        generating a sorted list of the top O-aggregated KPI values,    -   storing at least some of said sorted O-aggregated KPI values at        the top positions of said sorted list as T-aggregated KPI values        into a corresponding number of cells, whereby each T-aggregated        KPI value is stored into a cell whose column represents a top        rank position being identical to the position of said        T-aggregated KPI value within said sorted list; and    -   storing at least some of said sorted O-aggregated KPI values at        the lowest positions of said sorted list as L-aggregated KPI        values into a corresponding number of cells, whereby each        L-aggregated KPI value is stored into a cell whose column        represents a low rank position being identical to the position        of said L-aggregated KPI value within said sorted list;

The method further comprises the steps of:

-   -   Displaying a top/low view, wherein one or more T/L GUI elements        of the top/low view respectively represent one of the KPIs,    -   Receiving a signal being indicative of one of the T/L-GUI        elements having been selected by the user;    -   determining one or more third KPIs;    -   accessing, by the application program, the third table of the        first database for retrieving T- and/or L-aggregated KPI values        for each of said third KPIs,    -   in case the T- and/or L-aggregated KPI values could not be        retrieved, determining from the plurality of web service        interfaces one or more third web-service interfaces being        operable to receive and process a request for the third KPIs,    -   querying, by the application program, the determined third web        service interfaces via the network for receiving the T- and/or        L-aggregated KPI values of the third KPIs,    -   storing, by the application program, the T- and/or L-aggregated        KPI values received from the second database in the third table        of the first database, and    -   displaying, by the application program, the T- and/or        L-aggregated KPI values retrieved from the first database or        received from the second database in the top/low view of the        GUI.

A T-column is a column of the third table of the first or seconddatabase representing a top rank position, a L-column is a column ofsaid third table representing a low rank position, whereby the rankrefers to an ordered list of aggregated KPI values.

As for the first and second KPIs, the third KPIs can be determined invarious ways. For example, all KPIs stored in association with anorganization node stored in association with the current organizationnode can be used. According to some embodiments, the third KPIs maydynamically be determined by the application program as a sub-set ofsaid theoretically available KPIs. For example, said sub-set may bedetermined in dependence on the view currently displayed by the user orother parameters of the current application context. The determinationof the second KPIs may likewise be based on a user selection provideddynamically via a GUI and/or provided upon program start, e.g. based ona configuration file. The KPIs of interest may also depend on thehierarchical level of the organization node within the organizationgraph.

According to embodiments, a top list of aggregated KPI values iscalculated for a particular organization node, e.g. a department of acompany, or a particular branch of said company. For said organizationnode, a set of direct or indirect child nodes is determined, e.g. allemployees working for a department. In order to calculate the top listfor the KPI ‘profit’, the ‘profit’ value reached by each single employeeof said department is calculated, e.g. by summing up profit figures fora particular year. The aggregated KPI values of said child organizationnodes are sorted in descending order. The employee at the top positionof the sorted list of KPI ‘profit’ is the employee having reached thehighest profit in the year considered when comparing his profit valuewith the profit values reached by the other employees of thatdepartment. A user wanting to know the 10 top performing employees inregard to profit for a particular department merely has to specify theKPI he's interested in, has to select the organization node representingthe department as current node and request for display of the top 10T-aggregated KPI values for the KPI ‘profit’. The 10 employeesperforming worst can be determined analogously.

According to embodiments, the aggregated data values are calculated by adata aggregation module running on the server processing device, whereinthe structure of the first, second and third table of the first databaseis respectively identical to or is a sub-structure of the structure ofthe first, second and third table of the second database. According tosome of said embodiments, at least some organization nodes in the firstand/or second database are stored in association with a compressed imageof the user represented by said organization node, the image compressionbeing executed by said data aggregation module. Said features may beadvantageous because the structure of the first as well as of the seconddatabase can be optimized for efficiently retrieving data to bedisplayed in a particular view of the client device. Compressing imagesof users corresponding to organization nodes is advantageous as saidimages can be transferred efficiently from the server to the client andhelp the user in navigating within the organization graph displayed onthe screen of the client device.

According to embodiments, the content of the first table of the firstdatabase is automatically filled by the application program withO-aggregated KPI values by submitting a plurality of requests to thefirst web service interfaces until for each KPI and for eachorganization node being the organization node representing the logged-inuser or being one of the direct or indirect child nodes of saidorganization node the corresponding O-aggregated KPI value is receivedfrom the second database and is stored to the first table of the firstdatabase.

In addition or alternatively, the second table of the first database isautomatically filled by the application program with R-aggregated KPIvalues by submitting a plurality of requests to the second web serviceinterfaces until for each combination of a region node and anorganization node, said organization node being the organization noderepresenting the logged in user or any of its direct or indirect childnodes, all R-aggregated KPI values stored in the second database arereceived and are stored to the second table of the first database.

In addition or alternatively, the third table of the first database isautomatically filled by the application program by submitting one ormore requests to the third web service interfaces for receiving for allcombinations of one of the KPIs and one organization nodes, saidorganization node being the organization node representing the logged inuser or any of its direct or indirect child nodes, all T-aggregated KPIvalues and all L-aggregated values contained in the second database, thereceived L- and T-aggregated data values being stored to the third tableof the first database.

According to embodiments, the first table of the first and seconddatabase is adapted to quickly provide O-aggregated KPI values fordisplay in an organization view, while the second table of saiddatabases is particularly adapted for quickly providing R-aggregated KPIvalues to a region view. Providing the aggregated KPI values via aplurality of interfaces is advantageous, because said modularity of dataretrieval allows to specifically retrieve those aggregated KPI valuesfirst which are considered as particularly relevant for the logged-inuser. Other aggregated KPI values may be retrieved at a later moment intime via a background process while the user works on the aggregated KPIvalues already retrieved and stored for the current organization and itsdirect child nodes in the first database.

According to embodiments, the first database is an in-memory database.The first database is automatically kept up-to-date by executing thefollowing steps: M) determining, by the application program, whether thefirst database is empty or is outdated; N) in case the first database isoutdated, the application program automatically deletes the aggregatedKPI values stored in the first database, thereby creating an emptydatabase; O) in case it was determined in M) that the first database isempty or in case the database was emptied in step N), operating theapplication program in update mode, wherein in the update mode the stepof accessing the first database for retrieving O-, R-, L- and/orT-aggregated KPI values is skipped, and wherein only the second databaseis accessed via the plurality of web services for retrieving the O-, R-,L- and/or T-aggregated KPI values for display, wherein in the updatemode the application program automatically, as a background process,submits one or more update requests to the plurality of web-servicesuntil the first database is updated, and wherein the update-mode isterminated as soon as the first database is updated.

Depending on the embodiment, the step of determining whether the firstdatabase is outdated may be executed by comparing a timestamp or a hashvalue of the first database with a timestamp or a hash value of theserver database. The expression of determining that a database is‘empty’ will in the following also subsume determining that a databaseis not existent. Whether the content of a database is deleted while itsstructure is left unchanged or whether the whole database including thetable structure is deleted is considered herein as a mere design choice.In the latter case the application program may comprise routines tocreate the database structure including the tables de novo.

According to embodiments, the first database is an in-memory databaseand the client processing device comprises a computer-readable,non-volatile storage medium. A third database is persistently stored bythe application program in said non-volatile storage medium, the thirddatabase being an encrypted copy of the first database, the encryptionbeing executed by the application program. The first database is notencrypted. The application program, upon program start, creates thefirst database by reading the persistent first database from thenon-volatile storage medium, decrypting the content of the thirddatabase, initializing the first database in the memory and filling thefirst database with the decrypted content of the third database.

Said features may be advantageous, because they may protect the data incase the client device should get stolen or lost. As the data of thein-memory database is destroyed when the application program isterminated, the data of the in-memory database does not need to beprotected from unauthorized access. This is not the case, however, forthe data stored in the persistent, third database. By encrypting anddecrypting data stored in the third database, potentially sensitive datarelating the organization structure and key performance indicators ofcompanies are reliably protected against unauthorized access even incase the client device gets lost.

According to embodiments, the first database and, if present, also thethird database, is emptied upon each termination of the applicationprogram. Emptying a database may be based on deleting the content of thedatabase or deleting the whole database and its tables. Said featuresmay provide for an even more secure, “zero footprint” applicationprogram wherein all aggregated KPIs are retrieved from the seconddatabase and are stored only temporarily to the first database during asingle working session of the logged-in user.

According to embodiments, the application program is operable toautomatically and dynamically switch between using the first and thesecond database for retrieving the O-, R-, L- and/or T-aggregated KPIvalues to be displayed. According to said embodiment, the first databaseis used by the application program by default. In case the firstdatabase is outdated, the application program switches to the seconddatabase and updates the first database in parallel. In case no networkconnection to the server is available when starting or executing theupdate of the first database, the application program does not start theupdating process and automatically uses the first database or uses thoseparts of the first database having already been received during anupdate process before the network connection was terminated. Saidfeatures may be advantageous particularly if used on a client devicecurrently in “flight mode”. In flight mode, application programs arestill in operation although the network connection is turned off or isnot available. Said features ensure that a user can work based on thedata currently stored in the first database in case not networkconnection to the second database is available.

According to embodiments, the O-, R-, T- and L-aggregated KPI values arepre-calculated by the server processing device for all organizationnodes of the organization graph, the pre-calculated O- and R-aggregatedKPI values being stored in the second database.

According to other embodiments, all O-, and R-aggregated KPI values arepre-calculated while the L- and/or T-aggregated KPI values arepre-calculated by the server processing device only for thoseorganization nodes belonging to the n top hierarchical levels of theorganization graph, n being an integer larger 0 and smaller than 5. Allother L- and/or T-aggregated KPI values are calculated by the serverprocessing device upon having received a request via one of its webservice interfaces. All L- and/or T-aggregated KPI values having beenpre-calculated or having been calculated in response to the receipt of aweb service request are stored in the second database. The clientprocessing device does not calculate any of the O-, R-, L- and/orT-aggregated KPI values but rather receives each of said values from thefirst or second database.

Said features may be advantageous, because incrementally filling thedatabase allows using the first database even in case not all datastored in the second database have been transferred yet. Using multipledifferent web service interfaces corresponding to different sets of KPIsis advantageous, because the achieved modularity of data retrievalallows to flexibly modify the sequence of requests for aggregated KPIvalues to be transferred from the second to the first database. Saidsequence may depend on various criteria, e.g. user-specific preferences,the current organization node, the current region node or the like.

According to embodiments, the requested O-, R-, L- and/or T-aggregatedKPI values returned by the requested web service interfaces are returnedin the form of BLOBS. Said features may be advantageous as they providefor a particularly secure way of transferring data from the second tothe first database. A ‘BLOB’ is a ‘binary large object’ that can hold avariable amount of data in binary form. The binary form, contrary toplain text form, ensures that even in case the transferred data shouldbe tracked by a third party, said party cannot decipher the content ofthe transferred data. In particular if said kind of data object iscombined with an encrypted persistent third database or with a ‘nofootprint’ embodiment, said feature provides for a particularly securemeans of providing aggregated KPI values from a server to a clientdevice.

According to embodiments, the application program comprises a learningmodule and the method further comprises the step of: logging, by thelearning module, the identity of the one or more first, second and/orthird web service interfaces used over a time period; calculating, bythe learning module applying a learning algorithm on the logged webservice interface identifiers, for each of the web service interfaces ascore value, said score value being indicative of the probability thatthe logged-in user using the application program submits a web servicerequest for an aggregated KPI value to any of said first, second and/orthird web service interfaces; and automatically submitting, upon alog-in operation of the user, one or more prefetching web servicerequests in dependence of the calculated score value. Said features maybe advantageous as they provide for an application program beingoperable to ‘learn’ which sets of KPIs a logged-in user is particularlyinterested in. Aggregated KPI values can be retrieved, for example, whenexecuting an update step or when filling the first database de novo.Thus, the application program may be able to retrieve, e.g. in abackground process, the aggregated KPIs the user is most interested in.All other KPIs the user is typically less interested in are retrieved bythe application program in the background at a later moment in time. Thelearning module in combination with the modularized data retrieval basedon a plurality of web service interfaces thus provides for anapplication program which can adapt to the individual interests andneeds of different users. For example, an engineer of a company mayalways right upon log-in navigate to one or more organization nodesrepresenting particular machines operated by said company to retrieveKPI values such as ‘produced items per hour’, ‘time period in failurestate’, ‘supply state of consumables’ and so on. Another employeeworking in the financial department may typically select, upon log-in,KPIs assigned to employees. Such KPIs may be, for example, parameterslike ‘monthly salary’, ‘holidays taken’, ‘monthly turnaround’ and thelike.

The expression the application module ‘comprises’ a learning module oran encryption/decryption module as used in the following indicates thatsaid modules may be integral part of the application program, may be aplug-in of the application program or may be an independent applicationor program component being which can be accessed and used by theapplication program.

The learning module may learn the KPIs typically selected by the userand use said information to preferentially retrieve aggregated valuesfor said learned KPIs when updating or freshly filling the firstdatabase. According to some embodiments, the organization nodes and/orregion nodes typically selected by a user may further be monitored bythe learning module and used for learning the KPIs which are typicallyof interest for a user of the application program.

According to embodiments, a higher usage probability of a web serviceinterface is indicated by a higher score value, wherein the order of thefirst, second and third web service interfaces used for updating thefirst database depends on the score value of each respective webservice. The higher the score value, the earlier the web serviceinterface is requested during the update process.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a computer-readablestorage medium, the storage medium comprising computer-interpretableinstructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor toexecute the steps of the method according to any of the embodiments ofthe invention described above.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a computing system forproviding a plurality of aggregated KPI-values of a plurality ofdifferent KPIs aggregated by a server processing device to one or moreviews of a GUI of at least one client processing device, the computersystem comprising:

-   -   the client processing device, the client processing device being        a mobile, hand-held electronic appliance, the client processing        device comprising:        -   a touch-screen for displaying the one or more views of the            GUI,        -   an application program,        -   means for receiving log-in data of a user, and        -   a first database, the first database comprising a first            table for storing O-aggregated KPI-values, each O-aggregated            KPI value being calculated for one of the organization nodes            and one of the KPIs by aggregating KPI values of said one            KPI being assigned to said one organization node and to any            of its direct or indirect child nodes,        -   means for receiving the log-in data of the user by the            application program,        -   means for identifying one organization node of the            organization graph as the organization node representing the            logged-in user and using said identified node as current            organization node,    -   the server processing device, the server processing device being        operatively coupled to a second database, wherein the second        database comprises a copy of said organization graph, each        organization node of the organization graph having assigned one        or more KPI values, the server processing device comprising:        -   a plurality of web-service interfaces being accessible by            the application program, each interface being operable to            receive and process a request for one or more KPIs being            particular to said interface, each interface being operable            to return an aggregated KPI value read from the second            database,    -   wherein the second database comprises a further first table for        storing O-aggregated KPI-values, each O-aggregated KPI value        being calculated for one of the organization nodes and one of        the KPIs by aggregating KPI values of said one KPI being        assigned to said one organization node and to any of its direct        or indirect child nodes,    -   wherein the application program is operable to execute the steps        of:    -   A) determining one or more first KPIs for the current        organization node;    -   B) accessing the first table of the first database for        retrieving O-aggregated KPI values for one or more first KPIs        for the current organization node,    -   C) in case the O-aggregated KPI values could not be retrieved        from the first database, determining from the plurality of web        service interfaces one or more first web-service interfaces        being operable to receive and process a request for the first        KPIs,    -   D) querying the determined first web service interfaces via a        network for receiving the O-aggregated KPI values of the first        KPIs,    -   E) storing the O-aggregated KPI values received from the second        database in the first table of the first database,    -   F) displaying the O-aggregated KPI values retrieved from the        first database or received from the second database in an        organization view of the GUI, the organization view displaying        the current organization node and its direct child organization        nodes, the organization view enabling the user to navigate        within the organization graph, whereby a selection of one of the        displayed organization nodes triggers the re-execution of the        steps A-F, wherein the selected organization node is used as the        current organization node.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a computer system thatcomprises a key performance indicator database, also referred herein as‘second database’. Key performance indicator definitions are stored inthe database. This facilitates use of uniform key performance indicatordefinitions for use within a company and/or for benchmarking variouscompanies that use these key performance indicator definitions. This wayexpert knowledge related to key performance indicator definitions ismade readily available to a group of commercial entities or a“community” of participants.

The computer system further comprises back end data processing means,also referred to as ‘server processing device’, comprising means forextracting data from at least one data source, the extracted datacomprising structural data being descriptive of a structure and datavalues specifying values for elements of the structure. The computersystem further comprises means, e.g. a data aggregation module, foraggregating the extracted data using the key performance indicatordefinitions, and front end data processing means, herein also referredto as “client device”. The front end data processing means comprisemeans for receiving at least a portion of the structural data and theaggregated data, user interface means for a user's selection of at leastone of the key performance indicators and/or at least one element of thestructure. According to embodiments, the client further comprises meansfor calculating a value of at least one of the key performanceindicators for at least one of the elements depending on the user'sselection using the received structural data and the aggregated data,and display means for displaying the value of the key performanceindicator selected via the user interface means and/or the at least oneselected elements of the structure. The back end data processing meansfurther comprises means for providing at least a portion of theextracted data and the aggregated data to the front end data processingmeans.

The computer system may comprise at least one data source or it isadapted to be coupled to at least one data source, such as an enterpriseresource planning (ERP) system or one or more other databases. The atleast one data source can be an integral part of the computer system oran external system. In particular, the at least one data source can becoupled to the computer system by a network, e.g. of an intranet, theInternet, or the at least one data source can be located in the cloud,if cloud computing technology is utilized. The computer system hasbackend data processing means that comprises means for extracting datafrom the at least one data source. The means for extracting is adaptedto extract data comprising structural data and data values from the atleast one data source. The structural data is descriptive of astructure, such as some kind of real world structure, and the datavalues specify values for elements of this structure. For example, themeans for extracting data comprise one or more pre-defined databasequeries for querying one or more of the data sources to perform the dataextraction.

Further, the backend data processing means comprises means foraggregating the extracted data using the key performance indicatordefinitions. For example, an online analytical processing (OLAP) cube isdefined using the structural data and the data values of the cube aregiven by the extracted data values. The aggregation of the data can thenbe performed along various dimensions of the OLAP cube. In accordancewith an embodiment of the invention the extracted data is put into anOLAP cube. The data stored in the OLAP cube is then aggregated toprovide aggregated values that are stored in separate database listsoutside the OLAP cube. The aggregation is performed in accordance withthe KPI definitions. According to embodiments, the aggregated data istransmitted to the front end data processing means for furtherprocessing and/or for display of specific KPI values in response to auser's selection. This is particularly advantageous as this does notrequire transmission of the OLAP cube. As a consequence latency timesexperienced by the user can be minimized. However, the OLAP cube canalso be transmitted to the front end in addition to the aggregatedvalues such as for performing an in dept data analysis in accordancewith user definable data analysis paths. The resultant structural dataand aggregated extracted data, i.e. the OLAP cube and/or the separatedatabase lists, is stored within the computer system or is outputted forstorage by an external storage system, such as a storage system that islocated in the cloud.

According to embodiments, the computer system further comprises frontenddata processing means having means for receiving at least a portion ofthe structural data and the aggregated data, such as a wired or wirelesscommunication interface, in particular a digital cellulartelecommunication interface, such as a GSM or UMTS interface, a WLANinterface or another kind of far-field or near-field wirelesstelecommunication interface. The frontend data processing meanscomprises a user interface for a user's selection of at least one of thekey performance indicators and/or at least one element of the structure.In accordance with embodiments of the invention the user interface isimplemented as a graphical user interface.

The frontend data processing means has means for calculating a value ofat least one of the key performance indicators for at least one of theelements of the structure depending on the user's selection using thereceived structural data and the aggregated data. The resultant value ofthe key performance indicator that has been selected via the userinterface means and/or of the at least one selected element of thestructure is displayed on a display of the frontend data processingmeans such that the user can read the value. The structural data and theaggregated data is received by the frontend data processing means fromthe backend data processing means of the computer system or from anexternal storage system, such as a storage system that is located in thecloud.

In accordance with embodiments of the invention the backend dataprocessing means comprises means for anonymizing the structural dataand/or the aggregated data such as by encrypting an identifier that isassigned to the structural data and/or the aggregated data. The systemfurther comprises or is coupled to a benchmarking database for storingthe anonymized structural data and/or aggregated data. This facilitatesthe performance of benchmark analysis involving multiple companies dueto the usage of uniform definitions of the key performance indicators.For example, a number of companies is registered for using thebenchmarking database establishing a community that uses the same keyperformance indicator definitions such that a database is establishedfor automated and cost effective benchmarking that avoids or reduces aneed for benchmarking consultancy services of a consultancy firm anddrastically reduces the cost related to benchmarking. The benchmarkingdatabase may comprise a set of software tools for providing services forautomated benchmark analysis using the anonymized structural and/oraggregated data that is stored in the benchmarking database. Accordingto embodiments, the benchmarking database comprising a set of softwaretools (106) for providing services for benchmark analysis.

According to embodiments, the key performance indicators are humanresources, customer, financial, logistics, technical, and/or product keyperformance indicators.

According to further embodiments, the at least one data source is anenterprise resource planning system and/or multiple databases storinghuman resources, customer, financial, logistics, technical and/orproduct data. For example, the structural data and the data values forcalculating such key performance indicators can be extracted from one ormore data sources, such as an enterprise resource planning (ERP) systemand/or multiple databases storing human resources, customer, financial,logistics, technical and/or product data.

According to embodiments, the back end data processing means comprises adata processing component for checking a criterion using the aggregateddata and for sending a message to the front end data processing means,if the criterion is fulfilled, wherein the criterion is checkedpreferably quasi continuously, after predefined time intervals and/orevent driven. For example, a threshold value is set in the backend dataprocessing means for a specific data item of the aggregated data. Ifthis threshold value is reached or surpassed a message is generatedautomatically by the backend data processing means and sent to thefrontend data processing means in order to notify or alert the user ofthe frontend data processing means.

According to embodiments, the structure is an organization of a company,also referred to as ‘organization graph’, and the elements of thestructure being organizational entities, also referred to as‘organization nodes’, such as employees or full time equivalents orcompany departments, accounts, cost centers, profit centers, warehouses,product lines, customer hierarchies or other organizational units, or atechnical structure, the structural data preferably includingterritorial assignments of the elements to locations. For example, saidstructure may be a region graph.

In accordance with a further embodiment the message can be an automaticreminder regarding an upcoming or actual event, such as a birthday oranniversary of an employee. In this application the criterion may bethat the actual date equals the birthday or anniversary date of one ofthe employees of the company and the respective message is sent to thatemployee's manager. The fulfillment of the criterion can be checked bythe backend data processing means continuously, after pre-defined timeintervals and/or event driven. In accordance with an embodiment of theinvention the structure that is described by the structural data is areal-world structure, such as an organization of a company, a logisticalstructure, a financial structure, a customer hierarchy or a technicalstructure. The structural data preferably includes territorialassignments of the elements to locations, such as geographicallocations.

According to embodiments, the front end data processing means is aportable battery powered electronic appliance, also referred to as‘client’, having a wireless interface for receiving the structural dataand the aggregated data and preferably the message from the dataprocessing component of the back end data processing means and/or forreceiving program code. For example, the electronic appliance is asmartphone or a portable computer that has a wired or wirelesscommunication interface, such as for near-field or far-fieldtelecommunication, in particular an interface to a cellular digitaltelecommunication network, a WLAN, LAN or the like. Preferably theelectronic appliance can also receive the message via thetelecommunication interface and/or program code. In accordance with anembodiment of the invention the electronic appliance can receive theprogram code over the air (OTA) from an OTA server that interacts with asubscriber identity model (SIM) card that is inserted into a chip cardreader of the electronic appliance. The program code is executed by aprocessor of the SIM card and/or by a processor of the electronicappliance in order to realize the various functional features of thefrontend data processing means.

According to embodiments, the structural data and the aggregated dataare transmitted separately from the back end data processing means tothe front end data processing means in encrypted form. This ensures dataprotection of the structural and the aggregated data for maintainingconfidentiality of these data. This is particularly beneficial if thestructural and/or the aggregated data contain data that is to beprotected in accordance with company policies and/or legal requirementsor as regards data that contains competitive and/or critical technicalinformation. For example, the structural and/or the aggregated data istransformed into an unstructured and/or encrypted bit string by thebackend data processing means before it is sent to the frontendprocessing means via a public network.

According to embodiments, the back end data processing means is adaptedto interact with multiple of the electronic appliances concurrently.Hence, the backend data processing means can provide a central platformor hub for use by a large number of electronic appliances.

According to embodiments, the electronic appliance has a multi-pointtouch screen for entering the user's selection of one of the keyperformance indicators and/or an element of the structure and/or alocation for which the key performance indicator is to be calculatedusing the aggregated data. Use of a multi-point touch screen isparticularly advantageous for convenient selection of more than one keyperformance indicator or for a zoom-in or zoom-out operation, such asfor selection of a location on a digital map displayed on the screen.This can be combined with gesture recognition for convenient entry of auser's selection or a user command.

According to embodiments, a user may apply various gestures via thetouch screen of a client device to navigate within the organizationgraph, within the region graph, within top- or low-lists or to selectKPIs whose O-, R-, T- or L-aggregated values should be presented on thescreen.

According to embodiments, the front end data processing means comprisesa motion sensing unit and an acceleration sensing unit, e.g., anaccelerometer, for entering the user's selection of one of the keyperformance indicators and/or an element of the structure and/or alocation for which the key performance indicator is to be calculated.The user can enter a user selection or a user command by moving thefrontend data processing means such as by displacing the frontend dataprocessing means or by tilting and/or shaking the frontend dataprocessing means.

According to embodiments, the front end data processing means comprisesmeans for predictive pre-fetching of the structural and/or O-, R-, T- orL aggregated KPI values from the back end data processing means, wherebya user's selection is anticipated and the data is pre-fetched inaccordance with the anticipated user behavior. For example, this is doneby predicting the user's selection which can be done by means of a usermodel that models typical user behavior. The user model can be static orit can be coupled to a learning component for adapting the user model tothe actual behavior of a specific user. The learning component can beimplemented by an inference engine, a neural network or another kind ofsuitable learning module.

According to embodiments, the computer system further comprises a usermodel being descriptive of typical user interactions and a learningcomponent for adapting the user model to the actual behavior of aspecific user, wherein the user model is used for anticipating the userinteraction.

According to embodiments, the front end data processing means comprisesmeans for automatically erasing the structural data, the aggregateddata, the message and/or all data that has been derived from datareceived from the back end data processing means. This has the advantagethat no critical data, such as confidential data, that is contained inthe data received from the backend or that has been derived from suchdata is permanently stored in the frontend avoiding unauthorized accessto such data. The automatic erasure of the data can be performed after afixed period of time, such as when no user entry is performed for agiven maximum time duration, or after termination of a user session.

According to embodiments, the front end data processing means is adaptedfor storing the structural data, the aggregated data, the message and/ordata derived from data that has been received from the back end dataprocessing means and further comprising user authentication means forenabling access to the storage data only after successful userauthentication.

In accordance with embodiments of the invention data received from thebackend and/or data that has been derived is stored for a longerduration in the frontend data processing means, such as in anon-volatile memory, even if the user has terminated the session. Thishas the advantage that the user can access these data stored locally onthe frontend data processing means for later reference. For protectionof the data stored locally on the frontend data processing means userauthentication means enable access to the stored data only aftersuccessful user authentication. User authentication can be performedbased on any suitable user authentication method, such as password basedor based on other user credentials and/or by means of biometricauthentication.

According to embodiments, the front end data processing means beingfurther adapted to provide an information channel. The informationchannel can be sued e.g. for posting user or user group specificinformation. This provides an efficient tool for targeted communicationwith various users or user groups within an organization.

According to embodiments, the computer system is an interactivemanagement and employee support system, such as for human resourcesinformational and/or transactional purposes. For example, the computersystem can be adapted for informational purposes, such as for providingefficient and convenient access to specific key performance indicatorsfor various levels of hierarchy of the company's organization. Thecomputer system can also be used for transactional purposes such as byan employee making a request to his manager, such as an application forleave, e.g. for going on vacation, and the manager's response to such arequest.

According to embodiments, the appliance being an Apple iPad, iPhone,Microsoft, WindowsPhone, Symbian, MeeGo, or Android device.

According to embodiments, the computer system further comprises meansfor drill-down analysis, combining key performance indicators and/orlocations using user selectable predefined data analysis paths. Forexample, the drill-down analysis can be implemented on the frontendand/or the backend. For example the drill-down analysis is performedusing OLAP cubes.

In accordance with embodiments of the invention the drill-down analysisis preprocessed, for example by using the aggregated data that is storedin the separate lists. The results of the drill-down analysis are storedfor later use. Hence, when the user enters a request for performing adrill-down analysis the preprocessed result can be outputted anddisplayed immediately.

According to embodiments, the extracted data comprising a time series ofdata values, the front end data processing means being adapted toperform a temporal analysis of the data received from the back end dataprocessing means. The data values may be time stamped or otherwisecontain time information regarding their acquisition and/or validitytimes. The temporal analysis may facilitate the analysis of temporalvariations of one or more key performance indicators. This way anefficient, convenient and powerful analysis tool is provided, such asfor strategic business development analysis.

According to embodiments, the structural data and the aggregated data istransmitted from the back end data processing means to the front enddata processing means by a pull operation. Preferably the pulloperations are performed for pre-fetching the data in accordance withthe anticipated user behavior. This way latency times experienced by theuser are reduced to a minimum.

According to embodiments, the message is sent from the data processingcomponent to the front end data processing means by a push operation.

In accordance with embodiments of the invention the message that isgenerated and sent automatically from the backend data processing systemto the frontend is transmitted by a push operation such that theinformation carried by the message is immediately notified to the userwith minimal delay.

According to embodiments, the computer system further comprising lists(118), such as lists comprising elements that have low or high keyperformance indicators values. In accordance with embodiments of theinvention one or more lists can be displayed on the frontend, such aslists comprising elements that have low or high key performanceindicator values. Such lists can be pre-generated for immediate useraccess. This has the advantage that the user does not have to wait forthe generation of a list in response to entry of a respective usercommand but that the list is immediately available.

According to embodiments, the user interface of the front end dataprocessing means comprising a drag and relate component for selecting anelement of the structure and for relating the selected element to atleast one other element of the structure, wherein the calculation of thekey performance indicator is performed using the relation of theselected element to the at least one other element. Selecting an elementof the structure and relating the selected element to at least one otherelement of the structure can be done by selecting the element by a mouseclick and then keeping the mouse button depressed while moving theselected element onto another element or group of elements with whichthe relation is to be made. Calculation of the key performance indicatoris performed using the relation of the selected elements to the one ormore other elements, such as in response to the user's release of themouse button.

According to embodiments, the user interface of the front end dataprocessing means comprising a workflow selector for selection of aworkflow by the user. For example, an employee can select a workflow forfiling a request, such as a request to go on vacation. A manager mayselect a workflow for initiating a business transaction. Access to thevarious workflow starters may be controlled depending on a given users'rights definitions.

According to embodiments, the user interface of the front end dataprocessing means comprising gesture recognition means for entry of auser's selection. This is particularly advantageous for enablingconvenient entry of complex user selections, such as concurrentselection of two key performance indicators, or selection of ageographic location.

In another aspect the present invention relates to a frontend dataprocessing apparatus. The frontend data processing apparatus is adaptedfor use in conjunction with a computer system in accordance with any ofthe embodiments of the present invention. The frontend data processingapparatus may be a portable battery powered appliance, such as asmartphone or any kind of portable computer system, in particular aniPad.

In still another aspect the present invention relates to a computerprogram comprising executable instructions for implementation of acomputer system, a backend data processing system and/or a frontend dataprocessing system in accordance with any of the embodiments of thepresent invention. The computer program can be stored on a tangiblenon-transitory storage medium forming a computer program product.

Embodiments of the invention are particularly advantageous as anorganization, such as a company, and their elements, such as theiremployees and managers, can be analyzed regarding their performance in aconvenient and efficient manner. KPIs that are calculated for a managercan be significant regarding that manager's individual performanceand/or regarding the performance of the company's structural element,such as a department, that is represented by that manager in thecompany's organization. Hence, embodiments of the present inventionprovide a powerful data processing tool for identification of strengthsand weaknesses in an organization in an objective way.

Selecting a Data Set by Means of a Multi-Touch Input Device

Multi-touch input devices comprise a graphical user interface such as atouch screen allowing a user to select GUI elements in order to triggersome routines of the application program displayed. Typically, a useruses no other input device than his finger in order to select GUIelements, input user data, or trigger the execution of commands. In thefollowing, embodiments of a method will be presented which eases theselection of GUI elements and entering user data into a multi-touchmobile device, thereby making the interaction of a user with the inputdevice more intuitive and efficient. Said methods may be used forselecting GUI elements representing organizational nodes, KPIs, and thelike and may enable a user to navigate within graphs of varioustopologies, e.g., organization graphs of various topologies.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a computer-implementedmethod for selecting a data set from a plurality of data sets by meansof a multi-touch input device. The data sets are connected with eachother according to a topology of a graph. The input device has threeorthogonal axes x, y, z, the x axis defining a device-centred horizontalline from the left to the right side of the input device, the y axisdefining a device-centred vertical line from the bottom of the inputdevice to the top of the input device and the z-axis defining adevice-centred vertical line from the back side to the front side of theinput device. The input device comprises: a multi-touch screen; a motionsensing unit being operable to detect a tilt motion of the input devicearound one or more of its axes; and an acceleration sensing unit beingoperable to detect an acceleration of the whole input device along oneor more of its axes. The method comprises: a) displaying a view by themulti-touch screen, the view comprising a plurality of GUI elements,each GUI element representing one of the data sets, whereby one of theGUI elements is used as current GUI element; b) detecting, by the motionsensing unit, one or more first tilting motions; c) determining at leastone candidate GUI element in dependence on the axis and direction of theone or more first tilting motions, in dependence on the current GUIelement and in dependence on the topology of the graph; e) highlightingthe at least one candidate GUI element; f) detecting, by theacceleration sensing unit, a first shaking motion; g) automaticallyselecting, upon the detection of the first shaking motion, the data setrepresented by the highlighted GUI element.

Depending on the embodiment, the graph may be of different topology. Forexample, the graph may be a tree representing an organization graph of acompany or a region graph. Said graphs may be used for calculating theO-, R-L- and/or T-aggregated KPI values.

Said features may be highly advantageous as it may render the use of amouse or a keyboard as input device unnecessary. Using a separate inputdevice is disadvantageous, because using a mouse and/or a keyboardrequires considerable space and preferentially a desktop in order toplace the mouse and the keyboard accordingly. Carrying a keyboard or amouse in addition to the mobile device is often highly inconvenient ornot possible at all in many situations. For example, in spontaneouslyarranged meetings wherein the participants have merely mobile phones andsmartphones available, but not their notebooks, specially adapted inputdevices are not available. In trains and planes usually there's notenough space to place the additional input devices appropriately. Someof these problems are overcome by means of various finger gestures knownin the art which enable a user to interact with the device without theassistance of any additional input device.

However, said approach is hampered by the fact that a finger may cover asignificant portion of the mobile device. In particular, the finger willalways cover exactly that particular portion of the screen displayingthe GUI elements a user is currently interested in. This is highlyinconvenient and may lead to erroneous selections of GUI element and/ormay slow down human/machine interaction. Said disadvantages are overcomeby embodiments of the method as claimed: a user is only requested toapply one or more tilting motions on the whole input device in order toselect a candidate GUI element which is highlighted. Then, when the GUIelement the user is interested in is highlighted, the user may apply ashaking motion on the whole device, thereby selecting the currentlyhighlighted GUI element and trigger some actions to be executed by anapplication program on the one or more data values represented by theselected GUI element. Thus, a user is not required to touch the screenof his mobile device at all in order to efficiently interact with themobile device. In addition, the user is not required to move a fingerover the screen and is thus able to see all GUI elements on thefull-screen of his device. This feature is particularly advantageous forsmart phones, because the screen size of smart phones is often verysmall and a finger may cover a significant portion of its screen.

A further advantage may be that the mobile device can be used in acontext where a finger gesture cannot be applied for various reasons,e.g. because the outside temperature requires the user to wear gloves.In addition, it is a particularly convenient way of interacting with themobile device, because the user holding the device in his hands is notrequired to change the position of any of his hands in order to apply afinger gesture on the touch screen. Rather, he can keep his hands wherethey are and simply apply one or more tilting motions and a shakingmotion on the whole device. According to embodiments, each shakingmotion comprises one or more accelerations in opposite directions.According to embodiments, only acceleration motions along one particularaxis, in particular the y-axis, are monitored and used for monitoringand determining if and when a shaking motion was applied on the inputdevice. Depending on the embodiment, merely an acceleration along onlyone single axis, for example the z axis, is to be considered. Accordingto other embodiments, and acceleration motion along any of the threeaxes, for example the z-, x-, and/or the y-axis, may be considered.

Considering one or more acceleration motions along only one axis as‘shaking motion’ may be advantageous, because this allows encodingshaking motions along each of the axes separately and allows assigningdifferent functions and commands to a shaking motion along each of saidaxes. On the other hand, considering a shaking motion along any of saidthree axes may be advantageous, because this empowers the user to shakethe device in any direction and still yield the same effect. Thus, thelatter embodiments may be perceived by the users as particularlyintuitive.

According to embodiments, the acceleration unit detects the occurrenceof a shaking motion only in case a minimum number of accelerations hasbeen detected to have been applied on the device within a predefinedtime period. For example, according to some embodiments, at least threeacceleration steps are executed intermittently in opposite directionswithin a time period of 2000 milliseconds, more preferentially within atime period of 1000 milliseconds.

According to embodiments, the shaking motion is detected by means of aclass library provided by an application program or an operating systemof the input device, said class library being operable to receive datafrom the acceleration detection unit. For example, Apple' operatingsystem iOS 3.0 provides for a UIEventSubtypeMotionShake event class.According to said library, an event is an instance of said class and isthrown whenever a shaking motion in accordance with the specificationsof said class library is thrown. Corresponding libraries for otherhardware platforms and/or operating systems are known in the artallowing a user skilled in the art to make use of analogous classes, inparticular event- and eventhandler classes, for detecting a shakingmotion.

According to embodiments, the acceleration sensing unit is aconfigurable accelerometer which delivers at a particular frequency theoccurrence of an acceleration event or is requested with said frequencyfor an occurrence of said acceleration event. Depending on theembodiment, said frequency is within a range of 50-250 milliseconds,more preferentially with a frequency of 50-150 and even morepreferentially with a frequency of 80-120 milliseconds. According to oneembodiment, the frequency is 100 milliseconds.

According to preferred embodiment, an acceleration event is determinedif the acceleration sensing unit determines an acceleration a whereina<−0.5 g or a>0.5 g, wherein g is the gravitational acceleration of theearth. According to more preferred embodiments, an acceleration event isdetermined in case a<−0.3 g or a>0.3 g. According to some embodiments,said parameters are configurable, e.g., by setting said parameters inthe UIAccelerometer class of the iOS API. According to some embodiments,an acceleration event along any of the axes x, y, z is recognized asacceleration event. According to preferred embodiments, only anacceleration along the y axis can trigger the recognition of anacceleration event. This may be advantageous as said axis is consideredmy many user as the most ergnomical axis for applying a shaking motion.

According to embodiments, the method further comprises: displaying anadditional GUI element, the additional GUI element comprising data beingcontained in or being stored in association with the selected data set.According to some embodiments, upon application of the first shakingmotion on the input device a shaking motion event is thrown by thecomputer-implemented method, thereby triggering the automated selectionof the data set in step f).

Navigating within Graphs with Tree Topology

According to embodiments, the graph represents an organization graphhaving a tree topology. Each displayed GUI element represents anorganization node of the organization graph; the current GUI elementrepresents a current organization node and the candidate GUI elementrepresents a candidate organization node. When the at least onecandidate GUI element is highlighted in step d), in addition one or moreedges connecting the current organization node with the at least onecandidate node are displayed and highlighted while all other edges ofthe graph are not displayed at all or are displayed in a non-highlightedmanner.

Highlighting the edges connecting a current GUI element with thecandidate GUI element in addition to highlighting the candidate GUIelement may be advantageous, because said information indicates the pathfrom a current node to a particular candidate node. In particular incase the user has applied multiple testing operations and has thereforemoved multiple steps between and within the different hierarchicallevels of the organization graph, highlighting the one or more edgesconnecting the current GUI element with a current candidate GUI elementsupports a user in recognizing at which particular position within thetopology of the graph the candidate GUI element is located. A furtheradvantage may be that highlighting the edges in addition to the GUIelements representing the nodes allows displaying a plurality of GUIelements being part of large, complex graphs also in a comparativelysmall screen, because highlighting the path from the current node to thecandidate node in addition to highlighting the candidate node providesmore information and allows a more intuitive understanding of thetopology of the graph and the hierarchical relationships between thecurrent node and a candidate node. According to preferred embodiments,all edges of the graph are displayed, but only the edges connecting thecurrent node with the candidate node are highlighted. For example, thehighlighted edges may have a brighter color and/or a thicker line thanall other edges. Thus, features of said embodiments may provide for aintuitive way for navigating within an existing tree data structure andmay empower a user to select one of the organization nodes of anorganization graph without applying any finger gesture on the device.

According to embodiments, the one or more first tilting motions enablethe user to navigate in the organization graph, wherein the one or morefirst tilting motions are applied on the input device around its x-axisand/or around its y-axis. Each first tilting motion around said x-axiscauses the highlighting of a new candidate GUI element. The noderepresented by said new candidate GUI element, the new candidate node,belongs to a different hierarchical level than the candidate node whosecandidate GUI element was highlighted before the application of saidtilting motion. Each first tilting motion around said y-axis causes thehighlighting of a new candidate GUI element, the corresponding newcandidate node belonging to the same hierarchical level as the candidatenode whose candidate GUI element was highlighted before the applicationof said tilting motion. Upon each first tilting motion the steps b)-d)are repeated, thereby enabling a user to navigate in the organizationgraph.

According to preferred embodiments, the navigation is implemented suchthat a tilting motion around the x-axis lowering the top of the inputdevice and raising the bottom of the input device results in navigatingthe hierarchy one level upwards. For example, in case the graph is ahierarchical tree, navigating the hierarchy one level upwards comprisesusing and highlighting the parent node of the current candidate node asthe new candidate node. Further, according to said preferredimplementation, a tilting motion around the x-axis lowering the bottomof the input device and raising the top of the input device results innavigating the hierarchy one level downwards. For example, in case thegraph is a hierarchical tree, navigating the hierarchy one leveldownwards comprises using and highlighting one of the child nodes of thecurrent candidate node as the new candidate node.

A tilting motion around the y-axis lowering the left side of the inputdevice and raising the right side of the input device results innavigating within the current hierarchical level to the left sister nodeof the current organization node, and a tilting motion around the y-axislowering the right side of the input device and raising the left side ofthe input device results in navigating within the current hierarchicallevel to the right sister node of the current organization node.

According to embodiments, each of the GUI elements may represent anorganizational node of the organization graph. Each node may represent,for example, a department or an employee at that department of acompany. Each node may be stored in Association with additionalinformation on said department or employee, for example, characteristicKPI values such as turnaround rate, vacation days, a photograph of theemployee, e-mail address, mailing address, and the like. By selectingone of the organization nodes by means of a shaking motion applied onthe mobile device, a user can trigger the execution of processing stepswhich result in the display of the additional information of theselected organization node or the further processing of said additionalinformation.

Navigating within Information Sources

According to further embodiments, the graph comprises a plurality ofdisjoint node sets, each node set being provided by one respectiveinformation source, each node of one of said information sourcesrepresenting a data portion provided by said information source. Each ofthe information sources is represented by an info-source pane displayedin the view. Each of said panes is one of the GUI elements and comprisesa display pane. Displaying the view comprises displaying the info-sourcepane of each of the disjunct node sets in the view, whereby theinfo-source pane of a current disjunct node set is highlighted.According to the graph topology the disjoint node sets are connected toeach other via first edges forming a first linear navigation path.According to the graph topology the nodes of each disjoint node sets areconnected to each other via second edges forming, for each disjoint nodeset, a second linear navigation path. The display pane may beimplemented, for example, in form of a scroll pane being operable toshow text of a selected data portion. Likewise, the info-source pane maydisplay a preview of a text document in the form of an image or in theform of a file type symbol.

Said features may be advantageous, because they may empower a user tonavigate between a plurality of information sources being represented bynodes arranged along a first navigation path. This can be executed veryintuitive the simply by tilting the application device, e.g. around they-axis of the device clockwise or counterclockwise. Upon each tiltingmovement, a new node representing an information source may behighlighted as candidate node.

According to embodiments, the data portions are pdf documents and theinfo-source pane comprises a preview image of the first page of said pdfdocument or a symbol of the pdf document file type in combination with afile name of said currently displayed pdf document.

According to embodiments, the highlighted current info source pane isnot highlighted any more as soon as another info source pane ishighlighted as candidate GUI element. According to embodiments, for eachinformation source the view further comprises a data portion GUI elementrepresenting all data portions of said information source. Said dataportion GUI element can be, for example, an image representing a stackof documents.

According to embodiments, the one or more first tilting motions of stepb) enable by the user to navigate within the first navigation path andto select one of the information sources, the one or more first tiltingmotions of step b) being applied on the input device around its y-axis.A candidate info-source pane representing a candidate disjoint node setof a candidate information source is determined as the at least onecandidate GUI element in step c) whereby the topology of the firstnavigation path is used for determining the at least one candidate GUIelement. The candidate info-source pane is highlighted as the candidateGUI element in step d) and the data set selected in step f) is the setof nodes of the disjunct node set represented by the candidateinfo-source pane.

According to embodiments, the navigation along the first navigation pathis implemented such that a tilting motion around the y-axis lowering theleft side of the input device and raising the right side of the inputdevice results in navigating along the first navigation path to theleft, thereby selecting the info-source pane to the left side of thecurrent info-source pane as the candidate GUI element. A tilting motionaround the y-axis lowering the right side of the input device andraising the left side of the input device results in navigating alongthe first navigation path to the right, thereby selecting theinfo-source pane to the right side of the current info-source pane asthe candidate GUI element.

According to embodiments, the method further comprising the step of: forat least the candidate disjunct node set, automatically selecting one ofits nodes as a default node; displaying first text data being containedin said default node in the display pane of the candidate info-sourcepane; and detecting, by the motion sensing unit, one or more secondtilting motions, each second tilting motions being applied by the userand enabling the user to navigate within the plurality of data portionsof the candidate disjunct node set. For each of the second tiltingmotions, a candidate node belonging to the candidate disjunct node setis determined in dependence on the current node, the axis and directionof said second tilting motion and in dependence on the topology of thesecond navigation path. Then, second text data being contained in saidcandidate node is automatically displayed in the display pane of thecandidate info-source pane.

According to preferred embodiments, the first tilting movements appliedfor navigating along the first navigation path are applied on an axisbeing orthogonal to the axis around which the second tilting movementsare applied.

According to embodiments, the data portions of each disjunct node setare sorted according to a sorting criterion. The sorting criterion ofeach node set determines the sequence of the nodes along each of thesecond paths. The navigation along the second navigation path isimplemented such that a tilting motion around the x-axis lowering thetop of the input device and raising the bottom of the input deviceresults in navigating along the second navigation path, therebyselecting a data portion of a higher rank according to the sortingcriterion. A tilting motion around the x-axis lowering the bottom of theinput device and raising the top of the input device results innavigating along the second navigation path, thereby selecting a dataportion of a lower rank according to the sorting criterion.

According to embodiments, said sorting criterion is a particular KPI,said KPI having been selected by applying a two-finger gesture for atleast a first time period on one of a plurality of GUI elementsrespectively representing different KPI.

According to embodiments, the method further comprises: detecting, bythe acceleration sensing unit, a second shaking motion; andautomatically executing, upon the detection of the second shakingmotion, a processing operation being selected from the group comprising:displaying the display pane of the current info-source pane infull-screen size; displaying a further GUI element in the view, thefurther GUI element comprising meta-data on the data portion of thecandidate node; displaying the first text of the default node of thecurrent disjunct node set in the display pane of the current info-sourcepane; and displaying, in each of the displayed info-source panes, a textof said pane's disjunct node set's default node.

For example, each information source may correspond to a particularnewsletter provider, e.g. a particular company. Each information sourceis represented by a particular display pane on the first few. Inaddition, the totality of data portions available in the informationsource may be displayed in the form of a further GUI element, e.g. animage comprising a stock of documents or the like. A user may select aparticular newsletter provider by navigating along the first navigationpath, thereby highlighting and selecting one of the display panes andthe corresponding newsletter source. Then, the user may apply one ormore second tilting movements, thereby navigating along the secondnavigation path of the selected newsletter source. For example, byapplying the one or more second tilting movements, a user may navigatein a plurality of newsletter items which may be sorted according to thetime and date of having received the newsletter item.

According to some embodiments, the order of the nodes along each of thesecond navigation paths is based on a single sorting criterion shared byall disjunct node sets. For example, all newsletter items of each of thethree information sources may be sorted according to the sortingcriterion ‘date of recipe’.

According to preferred embodiments, the default node of each disjunctnode set is determined by sorting the nodes of said node set accordingto said sorting criterion and using the first node of said sorted nodeset as the default node. A default node may be, for example, the firstnewsletter item having ever been received from a particular informationsource or the latest newsletter item having been received from saidsource.

According to embodiments, the sorting criterion may be, for example: akey word, a data, a KPI value, a document-ID, the author of the dataportion, the issue date, publication date or a validity date of the dataportion, a page number of a multi-page document represented by the dataportion, an identifier of the information source, e.g. the IP number ofa mail-server having submitted an e-mail, or an identifier of a machinehaving submitted status information to the input device. The date usedas sorting criteria may be, for example, the time and date of havingreceived the data portion via the respective information source or thetime and date of having created the data portion. In case theinformation source is a particular newsletter provider, the sortingcriterion is preferentially the time and date of having received thenewsletter item. In case the information source is an electronic book,the sorting criterion is preferentially a page number. In case the datasource is a particular file directory, the sorting criterion ispreferentially the time and date of last modification of any of thefiles, the file name, the author or owner of the file, or the like.

According to embodiments, the information source may be an issuer of anewsletter; a machine submitting status information and/or error codes;a machine or an organisational unit submitting KPI-values; a datarepository, in particular a file directory or a database; or anelectronic document.

An information source is any interface or data repository from whichinformation can be received by the input device. The interface can bebased on a particular communication technology, e.g. e-mail, SMS, radiowaves or the like. A particular type of interface may also becharacterized by a particular data format of the transferred data. Sucha data format can be, for example, e-mail document format, an XMLdocument, a BLOB corresponding to a custom data structure, an RSS feedor the like. An information source may also be characterized by aparticular keyword, the e-mail address of the sender etc. a particulardata repository comprising, for example, one or more text files isanother example of an information source within the meaning ofembodiments of the invention. According to some embodiments, a single,multipage electronic document, for example an e-book, can also act asinformation source.

According to some embodiments, each of the data portions may be anelectronic document provided e.g. as a text document; a page of anelectronic document, the electronic document being the informationsource; or an email, e.g. an e-mail of a newsletter archive.

According to a further embodiment, the user may at first, before havingselected an information source of interest and before having selected acorresponding candidate info-source pane, navigate along all secondnavigation path in parallel by executing one or more tilting movementsaround the x-axis of the device. Thereby, the content of the documentsshown in each of the info-source panes is changed synchronously,allowing the user to brows in parallel through a plurality of dataportions provided by a plurality of different information sources. Theuser may then, for example, detect a data portion being of particularinterest for him and may select the information source providing saiddata portion by executing one or more tilting movements around they-axis of the input device, thereby also selecting an info-source panerepresenting the information source of interest as candidate info-sourcepane. Then, the user may apply a shaking motion on the input device,thereby triggering the display of the data portion of interest shown inthe candidate info-source pane in greater detail.

Navigating a Perspectively Distorted, Rotatable Circle

According to embodiments, the graph comprises a set of nodes connectedto each other via a plurality of edges, said nodes and said edgesforming a circular path. The displayed GUI elements represent nodes ofsaid circular path, the displayed GUI being spread across a perceptivelydistorted circle representing said circular path. The expression‘perspectively distorted circle’ as used herein indicates that at leastthe GUI elements spread across the circle are perspectively distorted.In addition, the line of the circle may be displayed thicker at thefront of the circle than at its back. The displayed circle is rotatablearound a centre, wherein upon rotation of the circle the size of the GUIelements change perspectively. Upon detecting the one or more firsttilting motions in step b), the circle executes a rotation motion,whereby the direction of the rotation motion depends on the direction ofeach of the detected one or more first tilting motions. Thedetermination of the at least one candidate GUI elements in step c) andthe highlighting of said candidate GUI element in step d) are repeatedlyexecuted while rotating the circle, each element at the front positionof the circle being thereby used and highlighted as the at least onecandidate GUI element, wherein highlighting the at least on candidateGUI element comprises enlarging the size of said GUI elementperspectively such that the candidate GUI element is displayed largerthan all other GUI elements of the circle. Upon detecting the firstshaking motion in step e) and selecting the candidate GUI element instep f), data of the node represented by the candidate GUI element isdisplayed in one additional GUI element, said data preferentially beingmeta-information and/or aggregated KPI values.

Said features may be advantageous, because they empower a user tonavigate within a plurality of nodes which preferentially belong to thesame hierarchical level of a graph. For example, on employees of aparticular department may be graphically represented as GUI elementsdistributed unload said rotatable circle. The CEO of a company may thusbe provided with an overview of all employees of the whole departmentand be provided with means to select any of said GUI elements in orderto display additional information of the employee represented by thecandidate GUI element at the front of the circle.

According to embodiments, the rotation of the circle is stopped when themotion sensing unit determines that the input device is held orpositioned such that the plane defined by its x and y axis is parallelto the earth' surface. As long as the device is held in a particularangle relative to the earth surface after having applied a first tiltingmovement, the circle keeps rotating. For example, at the beginning auser may hold his mobile device parallel to the Earth's surface suchthat the x and y axes of the mobile device define a plane being inparallel to the Earth's surface (for the sake of simplicity consideredherein also as a plane). As soon as the user applies a tilting movementaround the y-axis of the device in a clockwise fashion (in other words,the user lowers the right side of the device and rises the left side ofthe device), the circle starts rotating and keeps rotating until theuser tilts the input device counterclockwise, thereby repositioning themobile device and holding the xy-plane of the mobile device in parallelto the Earth's surface again. As a result of repositioning the mobiledevice, the rotating movement is stopped. According to preferredembodiments, in case the user applies a clockwise tilting movementaround the y-axis, the circle also rotates in a clockwise fashion. Incase the user applies a counterclockwise tilting movement around they-axis, the circle rotates counterclockwise.

According to embodiments, the motion sensing unit is a device orcomponent operable to detect the direction of a motion of the devicethermally, optically, mechanically, electromagnetically or electricallyor based on geomagnetism.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a computer-readablestorage medium, the storage medium comprising computer-interpretableinstructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor toexecute the steps of any of the embodiments described previously.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a multi-touch input havingthree orthogonal axes x, y, z. The input device comprises: a multi-touchscreen; a motion sensing unit being operable to detect a tilt motion ofthe input device around one or more of its axes; and an accelerationsensing unit being operable to detect an acceleration of the whole inputdevice along one or more of its axes. The input device further comprisesa processor and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage mediumcomprising instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause theprocessor to execute method steps for selecting a data set from aplurality of data sets according to any of the embodiments describedpreviously.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a computer-readablestorage medium, the storage medium comprising computer-interpretableinstructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor toexecute for selecting a data set from a plurality of data sets, thestorage medium being part of a multi-touch input device, the data setsbeing connected with each other according to a topology of a graph, theinput device having three orthogonal axes x, y, z, the x axis defining adevice-centred horizontal line from the left to the right side of theinput device, the y axis defining a device-centred vertical line fromthe bottom of the input device to the top of the input device and thez-axis defining a device-centred vertical line from the back side to thefront side of the input device, the method comprising:

-   a) displaying a view by a multi-touch screen of the input device,    the view comprising a plurality of GUI elements, each GUI element    representing one of the data sets, whereby one of the GUI elements    is used as current GUI element;-   b) receiving, from a motion sensing unit of the input device, an    indication of one or more first tilting motions;-   c) determining at least one candidate GUI element in dependence on    the axis and direction of the one or more first tilting motions, in    dependence on the current GUI element and in dependence on the    topology of the graph;-   d) highlighting the at least one candidate GUI element;-   e) detecting, by the acceleration sensing unit, a first shaking    motion;-   f) automatically selecting, upon the receipt of the indication of    the first shaking motion, the data set represented by the    highlighted GUI element.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a multi-touch input devicehaving three orthogonal axes x, y, z, the x axis defining adevice-centred horizontal line from the left to the right side of theinput device, the y axis defining a device-centred vertical line fromthe bottom of the input device to the top of the input device and thez-axis defining a device-centred vertical line from the back side to thefront side of the input device, the input device comprising:

-   -   a multi-touch screen,    -   a motion sensing unit being operable to detect a tilt motion of        the input device around one or more of its axes, and    -   an acceleration sensing unit being operable to detect an        acceleration of the whole input device along one or more of its        axes,    -   a processor,    -   a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions        which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to        execute a method for selecting a data set from a plurality of        data sets, the data sets being connected with each other        according to a topology of a graph, the method comprising:        -   a) displaying a view by the multi-touch screen, the view            comprising a plurality of GUI elements, each GUI element            representing one of the data sets, whereby one of the GUI            elements is used as current GUI element;        -   b) detecting, by the motion sensing unit, one or more first            tilting motions;        -   c) determining at least one candidate GUI element in            dependence on the axis and direction of the one or more            first tilting motions, in dependence on the current GUI            element and in dependence on the topology of the graph;        -   d) highlighting the at least one candidate GUI element;        -   e) detecting, by the acceleration sensing unit, a first            shaking motion;        -   f) automatically selecting, upon the detection of the first            shaking motion, the data set represented by the highlighted            GUI element.            Specifying a Processing Operation by Means of a Gesture

In a further aspect the invention relates to a computer-implementedmethod for specifying a processing operation by means of a multi-touchinput device. The input device has an x-axis and an y-axis orthogonal tosaid x-axis, the x axis defining a device-centred horizontal line fromthe left to the right side of the input device, the y axis defining adevice-centred vertical line from the bottom of the input device to thetop of the input device and the z axis defining a device-centredvertical line from the back side to the front side of the input device.The input device comprises a multi-touch screen. The method comprises:displaying a first view on the multi-touch screen, the first viewcomprising a plurality of first GUI elements; receiving signal databeing indicative of a gesture applied by a user on one of the first GUIelements via the multi-touch screen, the gesture being a one-finger or atwo-finger gesture wherein a two-finger gesture is a gesture in whichtwo fingers both keep in contact with the multi-touch screen while thetwo-finger gesture is executed; executing the processing operation independence on the signal data. The processing operation can be, forexample, one of: sorting a plurality of data objects, each data objecthaving assigned at least one KPI value; aggregating a set of KPI values;disaggregating an aggregated KPI value; determining one or more secondviews accessible by executing a further gesture on said one first GUIelement; or updating the first view in dependence on a result of theprocessing operation. The signal comprises positional data beingindicative of the x and y coordinates of each of the two fingers on thescreen. The gestures described in the following may be advantageous asthey may provide for a particular intuitive and ergonomic means ofselecting and triggering the execution of processing operations by meansof a multi-touch input device.

Using gestures instead of input devices such as a mouse or a keyboardmay be advantageous as this kind of input means require no additionalspace and can therefore be easily applied by travellers. Selecting adata set from a plurality of data sets by means of a gesture applied onthe screen of the device may be particularly advantageous in the contextof managing and evaluating the performance of employees, machines, orproduction facilities by managers and executive employees whichtypically spend a considerable fraction of their working timetravelling. Often, said employees need to quickly get an overview of adepartment but also be able to quickly get additional information of aparticular employee and his or her performance. Embodiments of theinvention therefore provide for an application being particularlyadapted for allowing travelling CEOs to manage and evaluate theperformance of their employees.

According to embodiments wherein the input device is based on a clientdevice architecture being operable to retrieve O-, R-, T- andL-aggregated data values from a local database and, if not availablefrom there, from a backend database, may be particularly advantageous assaid architecture guarantees that the user may access the serverdatabase in case a network connection is available and may access thelocal database of his input device if no network connection isavailable—as is often the case when travelling. Thus, a combination ofthe client-server system architecture as described above with theselection of data portions related to employees or other businessrelated items provides for a performance management application beingparticularly suited for frequent travellers.

KPI Sorting

According to embodiments, the processing operation is the sorting of theplurality of data objects. Each of the first GUI elements represents oneof a plurality of different KPIs. The gesture is a two-finger gesture. Atwo-finger gesture is a gesture of two fingers placed on one of saidfirst GUI elements, whereby the position of each of the fingers on saidGUI element is not changed while applying the gesture. Thecomputer-implemented method further comprises: in case said two-fingergesture is applied for at least a first time period, selecting the KPIbeing represented by said one first GUI element; Upon having selectedthe KPI, a plurality of data objects is sorted. Each of said dataobjects has assigned a value for each of one or more different KPs. Saiddata objects are sorted according to their respectively assigned valueof the selected KPI. A list of second GUI elements is displayed, eachsecond GUI element representing one of said data objects. The list issorted in accordance with the sorting of the data object.

Said feature may be advantageous for the following reasons: requiring atwo finger gesture instead of a finger gesture for triggering a sortingoperation may be advantageous, because a user is provided withadditional means for triggering different actions. For example, a onefinger gesture applied on a GUI element may trigger a process beingcompletely unrelated with any sorting operation. In addition, the twofinger gesture is applied on a first set of GUI elements resulting inthe sorting of data values being represented by second GUI elements.Thus, the effect of triggering the sorting operation by means of a twofinger gesture is not negatively affected by the fingers covering atleast one of the first GUI elements.

According to embodiments, the first time period is between 0 and 3000milliseconds, and more preferentially between 0 and 2000 millisecondsand more preferentially between 0 and 1500 milliseconds.

According to embodiments, the list of second GUI elements is displayedin an order being in accordance with the sorting of the data objects.The sorting is implemented such that the first GUI elements and thesecond GUI elements are simultaneously displayed in the first viewbefore the two-finger gesture is applied. Before the sorting isexecuted, the second GUI elements are not sorted or sorted in accordancewith another sorting order. As a consequence of the selection of theKPI, the second GUI elements are sorted according to the value of theselected KPI and the first view is updated such that the sorted list ofsecond GUI elements is shown.

According to embodiments, the sorted data objects are organisation nodesof an organization graph and the sorting criterion is one out of aplurality of KPI values having been selected by a user via the twofinger gesture applied.

Line Chart

According to embodiments, the processing operation is rescaling the linechart. The first GUI element the gesture is applied on is a diagram. Thex-axis of the diagram is a time axis, the y-axis of the diagramrepresents a second scale for indicating the height of at least one ofthe KPI values. The diagram comprises a plurality of vertical guidelines, the guidelines being separated from each other by a firstdistance representing a first time period. The diagram comprises a curvebeing indicative of a development of the at least one KPI value overtime. The gesture is a two-finger gesture, wherein the two-fingergesture is a pinch gesture. Said pinch gesture may, for example, beexecuted by a user changing a distance of two of his fingers on thescreen relative to each other. The distance of the two fingers along thex-axis may increase or decrease during the execution of said two-fingergesture. For example, the pinch gesture may be based on a sliding motionof said two fingers relative to each other in opposite directions.

The signal data comprises a plurality of signal data packages receivedat a plurality of moments while executing the two-finger gesture.According to said embodiments, the method further comprises: for each ofthe signal data packages, updating the displayed diagram, wherein thefirst distance increases proportionally to an increasing distance of thetwo fingers along the x-axis and wherein the first distance decreasesproportionally to a decreasing distance of the two fingers along thex-axis.

According to embodiments, the pinch gesture is recognized by means of aclass library being operable to recognize and handle pinch-gesture.According to embodiments, the multi-touch input device is an iPhone oran iPad having the operating system iOS. The iOS developers libraryprovides for a UIPinchGestureRecognizer class which is operable toindicate to an application program that a pinch gesture was applied onparticular sections of the screen of the multi-touch input device.

Depending on the orientation of the path of said pinch gesture on thescreen, the movement of the fingers along the screen may compriseincreasing the distance of the x-coordinates of the two fingers and/orincreasing the distance of the y-coordinates of the two fingers. If themovement is executed in the opposite directions, the distance of the x-and/or the y-coordinates decrease.

According to some embodiments, the change in the distance in thex-coordinates of the two fingers is selectively used for rescaling thex-axis of the line-chart accordingly. Said x-axis of the line-chartrepresents the time. The change in the distance in the y-coordinates ofthe two fingers is ignored in embodiments wherein the y-axis of the linechart is not rescalable. According to further embodiments, the y-axis ofthe line chart is rescalable in addition to the x-axis and the rescalingof the y-axis of the line-chart is executed in accordance with thechange in distance of the y-coordinates of the two fingers. Thisapproach may be advantageous as the user can intuitively, by means ofone single gesture, determine the degree of rescaling the x-axis and/orthe y-axis of a line chart.

According to embodiments, the line-chart comprises first guidelinesseparated from each other by a first distance, the first guidelineslying parallel to the y-axis of the line chart, whereby said firstdistance is rescaled in accordance with the change of the distance ofthe x-coordinates of the two fingers. According to some embodiments, theline-chart further comprises second guidelines separated from each otherby a second distance, the second guidelines lying parallel to the x-axisof the line chart, whereby said second distance is rescaled inaccordance with the change of the distance of the y-coordinates of thetwo fingers when executing a pinch gesture.

According to embodiments, executing a pinch gesture on a line charttriggers the retrieval of O-aggregated KPI values assigned to one ormore organization nodes wherein said O-aggregated KPI values haveassigned a time stamp information allowing to plot a line chart curvefor said O-aggregated KPI value along a time axis. Thus, a user zoomingin or out a line-chart by means of the pinch gesture triggers a requestfor retrieving O-aggregated KPI values. The O-aggregated KPI values maybe retrieved as described beforehand from the first (client side) and/orthe second (server side) database as described beforehand.

Map-Based Disaggregation of Data

According to embodiments, the processing operation is disaggregating theset of KPI values. The one first GUI element the two-finger gesture isapplied on is a geographic map, wherein a screen distance between anytwo objects displayed on the screen showing the geographic map isproportional to a physical distance of two corresponding physicalobjects, the proportionality being based on a geographic scale. Thegeographic map comprises, for each of one or more first geographicsub-regions, at least one first aggregated KPI value having beenaggregated on a first plurality of data objects stored in associationwith said first geographic sub-region. The gesture is a two-fingergesture, the two-finger gesture being a pinch gesture of two fingersplaced on said one first GUI element, whereby the distance of the twofingers increases during the execution of said two-finger gesture. Thesignal data comprises a plurality of signal data packages received at aplurality of moments while executing the pinch gesture. The methodfurther comprises: for each of the signal data packages, updating thegeographic scale and the displayed geographic map. Thereby, each updateof the geographic map is executed in accordance with the updatedgeographic scale, wherein the geographic scale is modifiedproportionally to an increasing distance of the two fingers relative toeach other such that the user zooms into the displayed geographic map,thereby displaying one or more second geographic sub-regions, eachsecond sub-region being a sub-region of one of the first geographicsub-regions. Then, for each of the second geographic sub-regions,calculating and displaying a second aggregated KPI value, each secondaggregated KPI value being calculated by aggregating KPI values of asecond plurality of data objects stored in association with said secondsub-region. Thus, a disaggregation operation is triggered by applying apinch gesture with increasing finger distance on a map whose mapelements correspond to nodes within a hierarchical region graph.

According to embodiments, each of the first and second geographicsub-regions is geographic node of a hierarchical region graph. Thesecond geographic sub-region nodes are child-nodes of the firstgeographic sub-region nodes and the region graph is used as a drill-downgraph for executing a drill-down analysis. Thereby, zooming into the mapby means of the two-finger gesture triggers the execution of adisaggregation of aggregated KPI-values in accordance with the topologyof the region graph and in accordance with the updated geographic scale.

According to embodiments, each zooming factor of 10% specified by thepinch gesture and resulting in zooming-into a current view of the mapmay correspond to moving in the hierarchical drill-down graph one leveldownwards, calculating an aggregated score vale for a node of said lowerhierarchical level (which is less aggregated than the previouslydisplayed aggregated value and may therefore be regarded as‘disaggregated value’) and displaying said disaggregated value on thezoomed-in map.

Map-Based Aggregation of Data

According to embodiments, the processing operation is aggregating theset of KPI values. The one of the first GUI element the two-fingergesture is applied on is a geographic map. A screen distance between anytwo objects displayed on the screen showing the geographic map isproportional to a physical distance of two corresponding physicalobjects, the proportionality being based on a geographic scale. Thegeographic map comprises, for each of one or more first geographicsub-regions, at least one first aggregated KPI value having beenaggregated on a first plurality of data objects stored in associationwith said first geographic sub-regions.

The two-finger gesture is a pinch gesture, whereby the distance of thetwo fingers decreases during the execution of said gesture.

The signal data comprises a plurality of signal data packages receivedat a plurality of moments while executing the two-finger gesture. Themethod further comprises the following steps: for each of the signaldata packages, updating the geographic scale and the displayedgeographic map, wherein each update of the geographic map is executed inaccordance with the updated geographic scale. During the update, thegeographic scale is modified proportionally to a decreasing distance ofthe two fingers relative to each other such that the user zooms out ofthe displayed geographic map, thereby displaying one or more thirdgeographic sub-regions, each third geographic sub-region being asuper-region of one or more of the first geographic sub-regions. Foreach of the third geographic sub-regions, calculating and displaying athird aggregated KPI value, each third aggregated KPI value beingcalculated by aggregating KPI values of a third plurality of dataobjects stored in association with any of the first sub-region being asub-region of said third sub-region.

According to embodiments, each of the first and third geographicsub-regions is a geographic node of a hierarchical region graph. Thefirst geographic sub-region nodes are child-nodes of the thirdgeographic sub-region nodes and the region graph is used as a drill-downgraph for executing a drill-down analysis. Thereby, zooming out of themap by means of the two-finger gesture triggers the execution of anaggregation of KPI-values in accordance with the topology of the regiongraph and in accordance with the updated geographic scale. According toembodiments, each zooming factor of 10% specified by the pinch gestureand resulting in zooming-out from a current view of the map maycorrespond to moving in the hierarchical drill-down graph one levelhigher, calculating an aggregated score vale for a node of said higherhierarchical level and displaying said aggregated value on thezoomed-out map.

According to some embodiments, only the change in the relative distanceof both fingers is considered irrespective of the component of saiddistance in the x- and/or y-axis when the pinch gesture is applied onthe geographic map. Thus, embodiments may allow a particular intuitiveway of rescaling the geographic map and triggering the execution of theaggregation or disaggregation task. This approach is intuitive, as a mapis typically based on a single scale and the aggregation ordisaggregation is based on a single drill-down graph topology.

According to embodiments, executing a pinch gesture on a geographic maptriggers the aggregation and/or disaggregation of KPI values assigned toone or more organization nodes being stored in association with a regionnode represented by a section of the displayed geographic map. Thus, auser zooming in or out a geographic map by means of the pinch gesturetriggers a request for retrieving R-aggregated KPI values correspondingto the hierarchical level of the region graph displayed. TheR-aggregated KPI values may be retrieved as described beforehand fromthe first (client side) and/or the second (server side) database asdescribed beforehand.

Application Context Preview

According to embodiments, the one or more second views are accessible byexecuting the further gesture on said one first GUI element. Each of thesecond views comprises one or more second GUI elements for processingone or more KPI values. The gesture consists of touching said one firstGUI element by one finger for at least a first time period for selectingsaid first GUI element. The further gesture consists of dragging saidone first GUI element to a target GUI element, the target GUI elementbeing one of the first GUI elements, by moving the finger along a pathfrom said one first GUI element to the target GUI element, therebykeeping in touch with the surface of the screen. After having reachedthe target GUI element, upon receiving a signal that the finger isremoved from the screen surface, said one dragged first GUI element isdropped on the second GUI element.

Each of the target GUI elements represents one of the second views. Uponexecuting said dropping action, the display of the second viewrepresented by the target GUI element is triggered. According toembodiments, the method further comprises: selecting the one first GUIelement on which the gesture was applied; upon receiving the signaldata, determining one or more target GUI elements to which the selectedfirst GUI element can be dragged, said dragging to be executed by meansof the further gesture; displaying, for each of the target GUI elements,a pointer GUI element being indicative of the path from the selected GUIelement to said target GUI element; and upon receiving further signaldata indicating a dragging movement of the selected GUI element to oneof the target GUI elements, displaying parts of the second viewrepresented by said one target GUI element.

According to embodiments, the portion of the displayed parts of thesecond view correlates with the portion of the path already coveredwhile executing the further gesture. The portion of the second viewdisplayed is 0% at the moment when selecting the one first GUI elementand is 100% at the moment when the selected first GUI element is droppedon the target GUI element.

According to embodiments, the portion of the displayed parts of thesecond view and the portion of the first view together cover 100% of thescreen. The portion of the first view is 100% at the moment whenselecting the one first GUI element and is 0% at the moment when theselected first GUI element is dropped on the target GUI element.

According to embodiments, the portion of the displayed parts of thesecond view increases as a result of executing a sliding motion on thesecond view along the selected path. The sliding motion of the secondview is executed in the same speed and direction as the draggingmovement of the finger. While executing the dragging movement, thesecond view thereby covers and hides a growing portion of the firstview.

According to some embodiments, the second view moves into the screen inthe form of an overlay on the first view.

According to embodiments, the second view is transparent as long as thesecond view covers only parts of the first view, and wherein the secondview turns opaque at the moment of dropping the selected first GUIelement onto the target GUI element. This may be advantageous, as theuser is empowered to perceive a preview of the application contextprovided by the second view while still being aware of allfunctionalities provided by the first view. In case the user removes thefinger from the screen before the target GUI is reached, the second viewdisappears and the data of the selected first GUI element is notmanipulated.

According to further embodiments, the second view moves into the screenby executing the following steps: sliding the first view in accordancewith the speed and direction of the dragging finger, whereby the areanot covered any more by the first view is covered by the second view.Thus, the first and the second view are moved synchronously along thepath until the finger reaches the original xy coordinates of the targetGUI element. At this moment, the first view is slid completely out ofthe screen and the second view covers the full screen. According to saidembodiment, the original path connecting the selected first GUI elementand the target GUI element are determined based on the x and ycoordinates of said respective GUI element at the moment when the userselects the first GUI element. As the first view moves slides togetherwith the finger along the path to the xy coordinates of the target GUIelement, the user may have to remember the position of said target GUIelement as the sliding first view may not provide him with visualfeedback on the portion of the path he has already passed with hisfinger.

According to embodiments, the selected first GUI element represents aKPI and the second view represented by the target GUI element comprisesat least one GUI element for aggregating, disaggregating and/ordisplaying one or more values of said KPI. In other words, uponselection of the target GUI element a process aggregating,disaggregating and/or displaying one or more values of said KPI istriggered. The selected first GUI element represents an organizationnode of an organization graph having assigned a value of said KPI andwherein the second view represented by the target GUI element comprisesat least one GUI element for displaying additional information stored inassociation with the organization node of represented by the selectedGUI element.

According to embodiments, the selected first GUI element represents anorganization node of an organization graph and the second viewrepresented by the target GUI element comprises at least one GUI elementfor performance management tasks to be executed on the departmentsand/or employees represented by the selected first node.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a computer-readablenon-transitory storage medium being contained in a multi-touchinput-device, the storage medium comprising computer-interpretableinstructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor toexecute a method for specifying a processing operation, the methodcomprising:

-   -   displaying a first view on a multi-touch screen of the input        device, the first view comprising a plurality of first GUI        elements;    -   receiving signal data being indicative of a gesture applied by a        user on one of the first GUI elements via the multi-touch        screen, the gesture being a one-finger or a two-finger gesture,        wherein a two-finger gesture is a gesture in which two fingers        both keep in contact with the multi-touch screen while the        two-finger gesture is executed;    -   executing the processing operation in dependence on the signal        data, wherein the processing operation is selected from the        group consisting of:        -   sorting a plurality of data objects, each data object having            assigned at least one KPI value;        -   rescaling a line-chart being indicative of a KPI-value time            series;        -   aggregating a set of KPI values;        -   dis-aggregating an aggregated KPI value;        -   determining one or more second views accessible by executing            a further gesture on said one first GUI element;    -   updating the first view in dependence on a result of the        processing operation.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a multi-touch inputdevice, the input device having an x-axis and an y-axis orthogonal tosaid x-axis, the x axis defining a device-centred horizontal line fromthe left to the right side of the input device, the y axis defining adevice-centred vertical line from the bottom of the input device to thetop of the input device and the z axis defining a device-centredvertical line from the back side to the front side of the input device,the input device comprising:

-   -   a multi-touch screen,    -   a processor,    -   a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions        which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to        execute a method for specifying a processing operation, the        method comprising:    -   displaying a first view on the multi-touch screen, the first        view comprising a plurality of first GUI elements;    -   receiving signal data being indicative of a gesture applied by a        user on one of the first GUI elements via the multi-touch        screen, the gesture being a one-finger or a two-finger gesture,        wherein a two-finger gesture is a gesture in which two fingers        both keep in contact with the multi-touch screen while the        two-finger gesture is executed;    -   executing the processing operation in dependence on the signal        data, wherein the processing operation is selected from the        group consisting of:        -   sorting a plurality of data objects, each data object having            assigned at least one KPI value;        -   rescaling a line-chart being indicative of a KPI-value time            series;        -   aggregating a set of KPI values;        -   dis-aggregating an aggregated KPI value;        -   determining one or more second views accessible by executing            a further gesture on said one first GUI element;    -   updating the first view in dependence on a result of the        processing operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following embodiments of the invention are explained in moredetail, by way of example only, making reference to the drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the computer systemcomprising a client and a server,

FIG. 2 depicts the structure of the second database in greater detail,

FIG. 3 depicts an organization graph comprising multiple hierarchicallevels,

FIGS. 4-6 are illustrations of an entity-relationship model oforganization nodes, region nodes, KPIs and T-/L-ranks,

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a client computer system accessing thesecond database on a server,

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment of theinvention,

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the computer system of theinvention,

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a further embodiment of a computer systemof the invention,

FIG. 11 is illustrative of a user interface of an electronic appliancein accordance with an embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the display of the embodiment of FIG. 11,

FIG. 13 is illustrative of the user interface of FIGS. 11 and 12 afteruser selection has been entered,

FIG. 14 is illustrative of the user interface of FIGS. 11 to 13 afteranother user selection has been entered,

FIG. 15 is illustrative of the user interface of FIGS. 11 to 14 afteranother user selection has been entered,

FIG. 16 is illustrative of the user interface of FIGS. 11 to 15 afteranother user selection has been entered,

FIG. 17 is illustrative of various key performance indicators that canbe selected via the user interface of the embodiments of FIGS. 11 to 16.

FIG. 18 illustrates the navigation within an organization graph by meansof one or more tilting motions,

FIG. 19 illustrates the navigation within one or more elements of thesame hierarchical level by means of one or more tilting motions,

FIG. 20 depicts three device-centered axes x, y, z of a mobile device,

FIG. 21 illustrates a means of navigation within different informationsources and data portions by means of one or more tilting motions,

FIG. 22 depicts a first and 3 second navigation paths,

FIG. 23 illustrates the resizing of a KPI time series chart by means ofa pinch gesture,

FIG. 24 illustrates the triggering of executing a drill down analysis ofKPI values by applying a pinch gesture on a geographical map,

FIG. 25 illustrates a series of screenshots depicting possibledrag-and-drop paths on a first view and providing a preview of a secondview,

FIG. 26 illustrates the application of a two finger gesture fortriggering the execution of a sorting operation,

FIG. 27 is a flowchart of a method for selecting a data set from aplurality of data sets by means of a multi-touch input device, and

FIG. 28 is a flowchart of a method for specifying a processing operationby means of a multi-touch input device.

FIG. 29 is a block diagram of a multi-touch input device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following like elements of the various embodiments are designatedby identical reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the computer systemcomprising a client 150 and a server 165. The client comprises aprocessor 154 and a first database 156 being an in-memory database. Inaddition, the depicted embodiment comprises a non-volatile storagemedium 151 comprising computer implemented instructions specifying theapplication program 161. The storage medium 151 further comprises athird, persistent database 152. The mobile client device 150 comprises auser interface for displaying one of a plurality of different views,e.g. an organization view 156, a region view 157, or a top/low view 158.The region view according to some embodiments is depicted in greaterdetail in FIG. 13, the organization view of some embodiments is depictedin greater detail in FIG. 12 and the top/low view of embodiments of theinvention is depicted in greater detail in FIG. 14. Some embodimentsprovide for an event view as depicted in greater detail in FIG. 15. Allsaid views allow a user to navigate in various data structures, e.g. anorganization graph or a region graph, for displaying aggregated KPI avalues having been aggregated based on said structure. Such KPI valuesmay be of technical and/or business-related nature. Examples of saidKPIs are given in FIG. 17.

The application program 161 is operable to access the tables of thefirst database 159 for retrieving aggregated KPI values stored to thefirst database and for displaying said data values in one of the views156-158. The application program is operable to send one or more webservice requests to the web service interfaces 166-169 of the server 165via network interface 162. Said network interface may be, for example,an Ethernet card or a SIM card supporting data exchange via a network,in particular a mobile network.

For example, a user may start the application program by providinglog-in information. The log-in information, e.g. a user ID, is used bythe application program 161 for identifying an organization node withinan organization graph 300 stored to the first database. The determinedorganization node representing the logged-in user is considered as“current organization node”. Upon having identified the currentorganization node, additional information may be gathered by theapplication program, e.g. configuration settings, the view currentlydisplayed and/or score values provided by a learning module.

In order to immediately provide the logged-in user with a first view,e.g. an organization view 114,1508, the application program determineswhich kind of KPIs should be displayed to the user in the current view.The set of KPIs to be displayed to the user may depend on the positionof the user and its corresponding organization node within anorganization graph, on the currently selected region- or organizationnode, on user preferences and/or on GUI elements 1871-1875 selected bythe user via the graphical user interface.

An organization view displays to the user aggregated KPI values of allof all of an editorial notes being child nodes to the node of thelogged-in user. In order to populate the organization view with data,the application program determines at least the direct child nodes ofthe current organization node as well as the KPIs stored in associationwith said current organization node and its direct child nodes anddetermines one or more first KPIs currently of interest for the user.For the determined first KPIs, the application program then tries toretrieve aggregated data values by accessing the first database 159. Therequested aggregated data values may be, depending on the current view,O-aggregated data values, R-aggregated data values, T- and/orL-aggregated data values of one or more determined KPIs. In case thefirst database comprises the requested aggregated KPI values, saidaggregated KPI values are displayed to the user on the current view.

In case the requested aggregated KPI values could not be retrieved fromthe first database, the application program determines one or more webservice interfaces which can be used for retrieving said aggregated KPIvalues. After having determined the appropriate web service interfaces,the application program 161 submits one or more web service requests tothe determined web service interfaces. Upon receiving one of said webservice requests, each of the requested web services 166-169 accessesthe second database for retrieving the requested aggregated KPI valuesfor the user. Each web service request may comprise information on thecurrent organization node, region node and/or the rank of the T- orL-aggregated KPI values which have to be retrieved for a particularcurrent view.

According to embodiments, the data structure of the second database 170is identical to the structure of the first database 159 of the client.This facilitates the update process and tremendously increases the speedof data retrieval because both the tables of the first and the seconddatabase can be optimized for quickly returning ordered aggregated KPIvalues typically displayed on a particular view.

The server comprises one or more processors 177 and a data aggregationmodule 176. The data aggregation module processes one or more datasources RT₁, . . . , RT₃₀ in order to calculate aggregated KPI valueswhich are stored to the tables 171-173 of the second database 170. Thus,the data aggregation module provides for pre-calculated data which canbe quickly requested and displayed by client devices. The dataaggregation module may execute the data aggregation task on a regularbasis, e.g. by means of a cron-job, once per day, per week or any othertime series.

According to the depicted embodiment, the client device 150 furtheroperates an encryption/decryption module 153 which may be an integralpart of the application program or may be an independently installedsoftware module being interoperable with the application program. Saidencryption/decryption module can be used for encrypting the data of thefirst database when persisted to the third database 152 and fordecrypting the data when starting the application and filling an emptyfirst database with the content of the third database. Theencryption/decryption module may make use of a certificate 155 of atrusted certification authority comprising the public key used duringdecryption for increasing the security level.

FIG. 2 depicts the structure of the second database in greater detail.As the structure of the first and the second database are identical, thedescription given for the second database likewise applies to thestructure of the first database.

The first table 171 comprises O-aggregated KPI values having beenaggregated for 40 different KPIs KPI₁, . . . , KPI₄₀ and for eachorganization node within the organization graph 174. The structure ofthe first table is optimized for efficiently retrieving O-aggregatedvalues to be displayed on an organization view. Each organization nodeO_(n.m) corresponds to one row within the first table, whereby nindicates the hierarchical level of the respective node and m indicatesthe index of the organization node within all nodes of a particularhierarchical level. Each column corresponds to one KPI. Each cell withinthe first table comprises an O-aggregated data value having beencalculated for said particular one KPI and for all direct and indirectchild nodes of said one particular organization node.

Depending on the embodiment, the organization graph may be stored in thesecond database for example by means of an additional table comprisingtopological information of the organization graph, e.g. edge informationwhereby an edge connects two nodes of the organization graph in adirected or undirected way. According to some embodiments, topologicalinformation on the region graph may be stored in a further table of thesecond database (not shown).

The second table 172 comprises R-aggregated KPI values. The structure ofthe second table is optimized for efficiently retrieving R-aggregatedKPI values to be displayed on a region view. Each unique combination ofan organization node O_(n.m) and a region node R₁, . . . , R_(f)corresponds to one row within the second table, whereby n indicates thehierarchical level of the respective node, m indicates the index of theorganization node within all nodes of a particular hierarchical leveland f indicates the number of region nodes of the region graph 175. InFIG. 2, f equals ‘3’ and three different regions R1, R2 and R3 areindicated accordingly. Each column corresponds to one KPI. Each cellwithin the second table comprises an R-aggregated KPI value having beencalculated for one particular KPI and for all direct and indirect childnodes of a particular organization node stored in association with theregion node of the cell's row.

The third table 173 comprises T-aggregated KPI values and L-aggregatedKPI values having been aggregated for each unique combination of one ofthe 40 different KPIs KPI₁, . . . , KPI₄₀ with one of the organizationnodes. The structure of the third table is optimized for efficientlyretrieving T- or L-aggregated KPI values to be displayed in a top-view158 or low-view. Each unique combination of one organization nodeO_(n.m) and one KPI corresponds to one row within the third table. Eachcolumn corresponds to one out of k top ranks or one out of k low ranks.In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, k equals 100 and the 100 highest(“top”) and 100 lowest aggregated KPI values are calculated for each KPIand each organization node. Each cell within the third table comprises aT-aggregated data value or an L-aggregated KPI value.

A T-aggregated KPI-value of a cell of the third table is calculated forthe one KPI and for the one organization node represented by the row ofsaid cell and for a top rank as indicated by the column of said cell. AL-aggregated KPI-value of a cell of the third table is calculated forthe one KPI and for the one organization node represented by the row ofsaid cell and for a low rank as indicated by the column of said cell.

FIG. 3 depicts an organization graph comprising multiple hierarchicallevels. The organization nodes O_(n.1), . . . , O_(n.m) represent “leavenodes” of the graph. The line 301 separates the top three hierarchicallevels of the organization graph from all other organization nodes.According to some embodiments, L-aggregated KPI values and T-aggregatedKPI values are pre-calculated by the data aggregation module 176 onlyfor organization nodes of the upper three hierarchical levels. For allorganization nodes below said level, the T- or L-aggregated KPI valuesare calculated by the data aggregation module only in case a web servicereceives a corresponding request from a client. In this case, the dataaggregation module triggers the calculation of a requested T- orL-aggregated KPI value and stores the calculated aggregated KPI value tothe second database. Depending on the embodiment, the hierarchical levelup to which the O- or R-aggregated KPI values are pre-calculated can be,preferentially, 3 (as depicted), 4 or 5. This is advantageous, becausethe data aggregation executed by the data aggregation module 176 is ahighly demanding task and many of the aggregated KPI values may never berequested by any of the clients. It may therefore be advantageous tocalculate merely T- or L-aggregated KPI values for organization nodes ofthe top hierarchical levels which correspond to the longest drill downpath and to the largest number of organization nodes to be considered.The T- or L-aggregated KPI values may be calculated later on dynamicallyin response to a clients' request, thereby continuously filling thesecond database with aggregated KPI values.

FIGS. 4-6 are illustrations of an entity-relationship model oforganization nodes, region nodes, KPIs and T-/L-ranks. A ‘T-rank’ is therank of an aggregated KPI value within an ordered list of the k highestaggregated KPI values calculated for the child nodes of a particularorganization node. A ‘L-rank’ is the rank of an aggregated KPI valuewithin an ordered list of the k lowest aggregated KPI values calculatedfor the child nodes of a particular organization node. The logicalconnections between the region nodes, organization nodes, KPIs and theT-/L ranks may be implemented e.g. by means of an association tableand/or primary and secondary keys.

According to FIG. 4 a, the organization node O_(2.4) is stored inassociation with all defined KPIs KPI₁, . . . , KPI₄₀. Otherorganization nodes (not depicted), may be stored in association withonly a sub-set of all KPIs defined. For example, an organization graphmay comprise organization nodes representing human beings or machines.Some KPIs may be definable only for human beings while others may bedefined only for machines. Said property of the organization nodes canbe modeled by assigning only a first subset of the defined KPIs toorganization nodes representing human beings and assigning a secondsubset of KPIs to organization nodes representing machines. FIG. 4 bdepicts the entity relationship model describing organization nodeO_(2.4) in greater detail. Each of the KPIs stored in association withsaid organization node is stored in association with k different topranks T₁, . . . , T₁₀₀ and k different low ranks L₁, . . . , L₁₀₀. FIG.5 depicts a region graph 500 comprising a plurality of region nodes.Each region may be stored in association with one or more organizationnodes as described in the entity relationship model depicted in FIG. 6.FIG. 6 gives an impression of the dimensions of the data aggregationproblem which has to be solved for calculating an O-aggregated KPIvalue, and even more so for calculating an R-aggregated KPI value oreven a T- or L-aggregated KPI value. Leaving said task completely at theserver side guarantees that also clients with limited hardware resourcescan use the aggregated KPI values quickly.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a client computer system 150 accessing thesecond database 170 being operatively coupled to a server processingdevice 165. The client computer system, in this case an iPad, comprisesan application program 161 which is operable to access an in-memorydatabase 159 stored to the volatile memory 702 of the client device. Theapplication program is also operable to access a persistent database 152stored in a non-volatile storage medium 151. The application program isoperable to access the server database 170 via a network. The mobiledevice 150 provides a user 701 with graphical interface means forlogging into the application program and for accessing and viewingaggregated KPI values stored in the first database 159 or any of theother databases.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment of theinvention. A client processing device 150 is provided in step 800, theclient processing device comprising a first database 159 and anapplication program 161. In step 801, a server processing device 165being operatively coupled to a second database 170 is provided, thesecond database being accessible by the client via a plurality of webservice interfaces 166-169. Upon having received log-in data from a user701 in step 802, the application program in step 804 identifies anorganization node within an organization graph 174 as the organizationnode representing the logged-in user. In step 803, one or more firstKPIs are identified for the current organization node. In step 805, theapplication program accesses a first table 164 of the first database inorder to retrieve O-aggregated KPI values for one or more first KPIsstored in association with the current organization node representingthe logged-in user. In case the requested oh-aggregated KPI values couldnot be retrieved from the first database, the application programdetermines in step 806 from the plurality of web service interfaces166-169 one or more first web service interfaces which are operable toreceive and process a web service request for the determined first KPIs.

In step 807, the application program queries the determined first webservice interfaces via a network for receiving the O-aggregated KPIvalues of the first KPIs. In step 808, the application program storesthe O-aggregated KPI values received from the second database into thefirst database. Finally, in step 809, the application program displaysthe O-aggregated KPI values retrieved from the first database orreceived from the second database in an organization view of thegraphical user interface of the client device. The organization viewdisplays the current organization nodes and its direct childorganization nodes, thereby enabling the user to navigate within theorganization graph. A selection of any of the displayed organizationnodes by the user triggers the re-execution of the steps 803-809,whereby the selected organization node is used as the currentorganization node.

FIG. 9 shows a computer system 100 that comprises a key performanceindicator database 102, a benchmarking database 104 and a set ofsoftware tools 106, such as for performing a benchmark analysis usingthe benchmarking database 104.

A number n of key performance indicator (KPI) definitions, i.e. KPI₁,KPI₂, KPI₃, . . . . KPI_(n) are stored in the key performance indicatordatabase 102 whereas data on the basis of which a benchmark analysis canbe performed using software tools 106 is stored in the benchmarkingdatabase 104.

The computer system 100 further comprises backend data processing means108 that may comprise one or more server computers. The backend dataprocessing means 108 comprises or is coupled to data sources, such as anenterprise resource planning system including data sources for humanresources data, finance data, logistics data and customer relationshipmanagement (CRM) data. The backend data processing means furthercomprises an extractor component 110 for extracting data from thevarious data sources. The extractor component 110 is configured suchthat the extracted data comprises structural data being descriptive of astructure and data values specifying values for elements of thestructure. The extracted data is stored in a separate database 112 ofthe extractor component 110.

In addition the extractor component 110 can be configured to extractdata from additional data sources, such as business intelligence dataand data from other database systems. Preferably the structural data andthe data values are stored separately or in one or more OLTP cubes.

The backend data processing means 108 further comprises means foraggregating the extracted data using the key performance indicatordefinitions stored in the KPI database 102. The aggregated data can bestored locally such as in the database 112 or in an external system,such as in the cloud when cloud computing is utilized.

The means for aggregating the extracted data can access the KPI database102 for reading the KPI definitions that are used for calculating theaggregations of the extracted data. The resultant aggregated data can beexported from the backend data processing means 108 for storage in thebenchmarking database 104.

As an alternative or in addition the aggregated data can also be storedin an external system, such as a storage system located in the cloud.

The computer system further comprises frontend data processing means114, which can be implemented by a battery powered portable electronicappliance, such as a smartphone or a mobile computer. The frontend dataprocessing means 114 has a display for displaying a chart 116, a list118, a digital map 120, events 122, an information channel 124 and keyperformance indicators 126. The information channel is also referredherein as ‘information source’.

For example, the chart illustrates an organization of a company oranother real world structure or a portion thereof. For example, two ormore levels of hierarchy of an organization are illustrated in the chart116. The user interface provided by the frontend data processing means114 may enable a user's navigation within the chart 116 such as by dragand relate operations.

The list 118 may serve for displaying elements of the organization thathave low or high key performance indicators values, such as highperforming and low performing employees or managers.

The digital map 120 may comprise marks that indicate relevant locations,such as company or warehouse locations. The digital map 120 is part of aregion view 157 and is interactive such that a user can select specificlocations. In order to facilitate the selection of locations on thedigital map 120 the user interface may have zoom-in and zoom-outfunctionalities and/or a navigation or route planning function.

Events 122 can also be displayed on the user interface as well as aninformation channel 124 for posting information, such as employee ormanagement information. The information posted on the informationchannel 124 can be targeted towards individual employees or managers orgroups of employees or managers depending on their specific roles. Theuser interface further comprises a display box 126 for displaying userselected key performance indicators.

The frontend data processing means 114 and the backend data processingmeans 108 can communicate such as via a network, for example a privateor public network, such as the Internet. The structural and theaggregated data is pulled by the frontend data processing means 114 fromthe backend data processing means 108 whereby a security access module128 is utilized for protection of the data transmission. For example,the security access module 128 provides for encryption. The securityaccess module 128 may transform the structural data and the aggregateddata into unstructured and/or encrypted bit sequences, such as bitstreams, for transmission from the backend data processing means 108 tothe frontend data processing means 114.

A message that is generated by the backend data processing means 108,such as when a pre-defined threshold is surpassed, can also be sentusing the security access module 128. Preferably the message is sent bya push operation for immediate notification of the user.

The frontend data processing means 114 can also be coupled to the KPIdatabase 102 and/or the benchmarking database 104, such as via a privateor public network, such as the Internet. For example, the frontend dataprocessing means 114 can access the KPI database 102 for reading keyperformance indicators definitions for calculating key performanceindicators using the aggregated data received from the backend dataprocessing means 108. The frontend data processing means 114 can alsoreturn data, such as for initiating or executing a workflow, such as forprocessing a request.

FIG. 10 shows a block diagram of a further embodiment of the invention.In the embodiment considered here the frontend data processing means 114may be implemented as an iPad, iPhone or by another electronic applianceor personal computer that runs a web browser. The security access module128 is coupled to an enterprise resource planning system 130, such as anSAP system that may be coupled to other computer systems 132.

The ERP system 130 and the other computer systems 132 comprise variousdatabase tables 134 from which the structural data and the data valuesare extracted. Aggregated and anonymized data is stored in the tables135 as well as customizing data and security data, such as settings forencryption or other data protection operations. For example, theextracted data is anonymized and stored in the table SOV_Detail_anonymas shown in FIG. 10. The table SOV_Detail_anonym can be implemented asan OLAP cube. The data is then aggregated in accordance with the KPIdefinitions and the resultant aggregated data is stored in the tableSOV_Aggregate outside that OLAP cube.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of the frontend data processing means 114based on an iPad. An organizational chart 116 is displayed encompassingmultiple levels of management. Each manager is shown in a box whichincludes the manager's function and key performance indicator values ofthat manager. The key performance indicators are selected from the box126 that shows two lists of key performance indicators. The user mayselect one key performance indicator from each one of the lists. Therespective values of the selected two key performance indicators arecalculated for each manager contained in the chart 116 and are displayedin the chart 116.

FIG. 12 shows an enlarged view of FIG. 11. As illustrated in FIG. 12 thekey performance indicators “turnover rate (total)” and “span of control”have been selected. In accordance with an embodiment of the inventionthe user initially selects only one key performance indicator, such asfrom the left list of key performance indicators shown in the box 126.In response the right list of key performance indicators shown in thebox 126 is reduced to a sub-set of the available key performanceindicators from which the user may then perform his or her selection.This facilitates the user's selection of two key performance indicatorsfor performing a meaningful analysis.

FIG. 13 shows a digital map 120 that shows the region for which themanager selected within chart 116 is responsible. In the exampleconsidered here the chief executive officer has been selected whoseregional responsibility is the entire world.

In the embodiment of FIG. 14 the ‘top ten’ of managers is selected inthe box 126. Regarding the key performance indicator ‘span of control’of those managers that report to the selected manager, i.e. the chiefexecutive officer, the respective list 118 is displayed. List 118 is atop/low list of selected KPIs. The list 118 is part of a top/low view158.

In the embodiment of FIG. 15 events 122 are displayed with respect to agiven manager, here the senior vice president corporate governance,compliance and corporate services.

FIG. 16 shows an embodiment where the info channel 124 has been selectedby the user for display in an ‘info channel view’ 183. The user canselect the buttons ‘intranet’, ‘reports’ and ‘news’ in the informationchannel 124. In response to a user's selection of the button ‘Intranet’an intranet web page is loaded and displayed. In response to a user'sselection of the button ‘reports’ a detailed data analysis can beperformed. In response to selecting the button ‘news’ company news aredisplayed.

FIG. 17 shows box 126 and a list of human resources key performanceindicators that can be selected from the box 126.

FIG. 29 illustrates a block diagram of a multi-touch input device 1500comprising a processor 2054, a computer readable, non-transitory storagemedium 2055, a multi-touch screen 2053, a motion sensing unit 2051 andan acceleration sensing unit 2052. According to embodiments, the inputdevice 1500 corresponds to the mobile client device 150 depicted inFIG. 1. According to embodiments, the mobile device 150 can be amulti-touch input device, for example, an iPhone or iPad.

FIG. 18 illustrates the navigation within an organization graph 174 bymeans of one or more tilting motions. FIG. 18 a depicts a multi-touchinput device 1500 from a bird's eye perspective as well as the x- andthe y-axis of the input device. The multi-touch input device displays instep 1902 via its graphic user interface a view 1508 which displays tothe user a graph having multiple nodes 1501-1505. The graph may comprisemore nodes than actually displayed in the view. For example, thedepicted graph can be an organization graph 174 and the nodes can beorganizational nodes representing departments or employees of a company.Node 1501 is the current node and the left most node 1502 is highlightedas the candidate node. The highlighting is indicated in FIG. 18 by meansof a particularly thick border line. In addition, the edge connectingthe current node 1501 with the candidate node 1502 is highlighted (shownherein also as a particularly thick line). The user may then apply afirst tilting motion by lowering the right side of the device and risingthe left side of the device as indicated by the arrows 1570, therebytilting the device around its y-axis in a clockwise manner from theusers perspective.

The motion sensing unit 2051 automatically detects in step 1904 thefirst motion and determines, in dependence on said first tilting motionand in dependence on the current GUI element 1501 a new candidate GUIelement 1503. The determined new candidate GUI element is highlighted asdepicted in FIG. 18 b. In addition, when updating the view 1508, theedge connecting the current node 1501 with the new candidate node 1503is highlighted. The candidate GUI element determined in step 1906depends on the current node and on the topology of the graph, becausethe current node acts as a kind of starting point from which thecandidate GUI element is automatically determined in dependence on theone or more tilting motions and in dependence on the pathways availablewithin a particular graph. The user may repeat the step of applying afirst tilting movement around the y-axis, thereby navigating between aplurality of nodes 1502-1505 being at the same hierarchical level withinthe graph. In addition, the user may apply a tilting movement around thex-axis, thereby navigating the hierarchy of the graph upwards ordownwards.

According to embodiments, only a limited number of hierarchical levelsand nodes contained therein are depicted in the view 1508. Whenselecting a node of a different hierarchical level by means of a tiltingmovement around the X-axis, a different set of nodes and hierarchicallevel surrounding the selected node may be displayed when updating theview. This feature may be advantageous as it guarantees that a user isnot overloaded with too much visual noise which can be a problem inparticular for mobile devices having smaller sized screens.

The acceleration sensing unit 2052 may then determine a firstacceleration motion having been applied on the device while havinghighlighted the candidate GUI element 1503. As a consequence, uponhaving detected the first acceleration motion 1507, a data set beingrepresented by the highlighted candidate GUI element 1503 isautomatically selected in step 1911. FIG. 18 c depicts a first GUIelement 1506, e.g. a dialog box, a pop-up window, or the like whichshows the data set being represented by the selected highlighted GUIelement 1503 in greater detail. For example, said data set may comprisename and address of an employee, a picture of the employee, and one ormore aggregated or non-aggregated KPI values.

According to embodiments, selecting one of the nodes of the organizationgraph by means of an acceleration event 1507, one or more O- or R-,L-aggregated KPI values are requested from the first database 159 of themobile device 1500 or from a second database 170 of a server computersystem 165.

FIG. 19 illustrates the navigation within one or more elements of thesame hierarchical level of a graph by means of one or more tiltingmotions 1571. The input device 1500 comprises a multi-touch screendisplaying in step 1902 a view 1550 which comprises a plurality of GUIelements 1551-1556. Said GUI elements are connected to each other via acircular path. The circular path is displayed by a perspectivelydistorted circle 1558 which is operable to rotate around a center 1557.Upon rotation of the circle, the size of the GUI elements changeperspectively. The rotation options are indicated in FIG. 1980 by meansof a dotted double-sided arrow 1560. The current node 1555 ishighlighted (by means of a particularly thick border line).

In step 1904 of figure is 27, the motion sensing unit 2051 detects thata tilting movement-indicated by the arrows 1571—is applied on the inputdevice around the y-axis, thereby raising the right side of the inputdevice and lowering the left side of the input device. In other words,the input device is tilted around its y-axis in a counterclockwisemanner from the user's perspective. As a result, the circle 1558 startsto rotate, preferentially in the same direction as the tilting movement.Thus, in case of a counterclockwise tilting movement of the devicearound its y-axis, the circle 1558 starts to rotate counterclockwise andthe next GUI element 1555 moves to the front of the circle 1558 and ishighlighted in step 1908 as the candidate GUI element. This is shown bymeans of a particularly thick border line of GUI element 1555 in FIG. 19b. According to the depicted embodiment, the current GUI element 1554depicted in FIG. 19 a is not highlighted anymore as soon as said node isnot anymore at the front side of the circle. Depending on theembodiment, the circle 1558 may keep rotating in the initial directionas long as the user does not execute a first tilting movement around thesame access in the opposite direction. During the rotation of thecircle, the GUI element at the front side of the circle is dynamicallyhighlighted as a new candidate GUI element. A user may stop the rotationof said circle by applying a tilting movement in the opposite direction.A further tilting movement in said opposite direction may cause thecircle to start rotating in the opposite-in this caseclockwise-direction.

In step 1910 of FIG. 27, the acceleration sensing unit 2052 determinesthat a first shaking motion 1551 was applied on the input device. Upondetection of the first shaking motion, a data set represented by thehighlighted candidate GUI element 1555 is automatically selected anddisplayed, for example by means of a further GUI element 1561, to theuser. Said data set may comprise, an image 1559 of an employeerepresented by an organization node being represented by the selectedcandidate GUI element.

FIG. 20 depicts three device-centered axes x, y, z of a mobile device.

FIG. 21 illustrates a means of navigation within different informationsources and data portions by means of one or more tilting motions. Inputdevice 1500 comprises a multi-touch view displaying in step 1902 a view1600 comprising a plurality of GUI elements 1681-1683, each of said GUIelements representing an information source. The info-source pane 1681corresponds to information source A, info-source pane 1682 correspondsto information source B and info-source pane 1683 corresponds toinformation source C. Each information source comprises a collection ofdata portions. Said collection is represented, for each of saidinformation sources, by a further GUI element 1686-1688. Said furtherGUI elements can be, for example, an image of a document stack.According to embodiments, the picture of the document stack is not basedon an image file but rather comprises a plurality of GUI elementsrespectively representing a data portion of the correspondinginformation source. For example, information source A, as well as theother information sources, may have stored exactly 100 newsletter itemsDA₁, . . . , DA₁₀₀. Each of the info-source panes may comprise a scrollpane 1685 having a scroll bar 1684. The info-source pane 1682 ishighlighted as the current GUI element.

In step 1904, the motion sensing unit 2051 detects a first tiltingmotion around the y-axis in a clockwise fashion from the usersperspective. As a result, the info-source pane 1683 may be determined ascandidate GUI element in step 1906 (not shown). In case said tiltingmovement would have been applied in counterclockwise direction,info-source pane 1681 would be highlighted as new candidate GUI element(not shown). Thus, by applying one or more tilting motions around they-axis in a counterclockwise or clockwise fashion, a user is enabled toselect an information source of interest. For example, each informationsource A, B and C may correspond to a newsletter respectively providedby companies A, B and C or may correspond to status informationsubmitted on a regular basis from a manufacturing machine A, B or C. Auser, by applying one or more tilting motions on the device, isempowered to choose an information source of interest. FIG. 22illustrates this feature graphically by representing each of theinformation sources as a black node arranged along a first navigationpath 1689.

In the info panes 1681-1683 respectively display human readable textbeing provided by a current data portion of the respective informationsource. At the beginning, when starting the application program, adefault data portion may be displayed, for example, the most recentnewsletter item, the first page of an electronic document, the contentof a file having a file name being first according to an alphabeticorder, or the like.

The user may, after having selected an information source of interest,apply said tilting motion around the x-axis of the device, therebynavigating between different data portions of the selected informationsource. Preferentially, each tilting motion around in the x-axislowering the top side of the device and rising the bottom side of thedevice will result in loading a new data portion from the informationsource and displaying the newly loaded data portion in the scroll paneof the info-source pane instead of the previously displayed text.

For example, the tilting motion around the x-axis lowering the top ofthe input device and rising the bottom of the input device results innavigating along a second navigation path 1690-1692, thereby selecting adata portion of a higher rank according to a sorting criterion.

For example, if the sorting criterion is the time of having received anewsletter item, the default data portion may be that newsletter itemhaving been read when opening the application program the last time.Selecting a data portion of a higher rank may comprise selecting anewsletter item having a more recent timestamp for display in thecorresponding info-source pane.

A tilting motion around the x-axis lowering the bottom of the inputdevice and rising the top of the input device results in navigatingalong the second navigation path in the opposite direction, therebyselecting a data portion of a low rank according to the sortingcriterion. For example, by applying such a tilting motion, the user mayselect a newsletter item having assigned an older date than thenewsletter item currently displayed in the corresponding info-sourcepane. The selected newsletter item will automatically replace thecurrently displayed newsletter item.

According to some embodiments, the plurality of information sources andcorresponding info-source panes display their respective data portionsin sync or out of sync. If they are in sync, and if a user has selecteddata portion DB₁₃ for display in the scroll pane of the candidateinfo-source pane 1682 of information source B, then info-source pane1681 of information source A will display the text of the data portionDA₁₃ and info-source pane 1683 of information source C will display thetext of the data portion DC₁₃. If the display of the data portions ofthe various information sources is out of sync, the tilting movementaround the x-axis will only affect the text displayed in the scroll paneof the info-source pane being the candidate GUI element.

In case in step 1910 the acceleration sensing unit 2052 detects a firstshaking motion having been executed on the device, the data portioncurrently displayed in the highlighted info-source pane would beselected and further processed. Said further processing may comprisedisplaying the scroll pane of the current information pain in afull-screen size. The further processing operation may also comprisedisplaying a further GUI element in the view, said further GUI element(for example, a pop-up window) comprising meta-data on the data portioncurrently displayed. Said meta-data may be, for example, information onthe author of a data portion, its validity, or the like. Said shakingmotion may also be used to ‘reset’ the content of all scroll panes or toreset at least the content of the scroll pane of the currentlyhighlighted info-source pane. ‘Resetting’ the content of a scroll panemeans that the respective default data portion is displayed in saidscroll pane.

FIG. 22 depicts a first and 3 second navigation paths used fornavigating between different information sources and data portions asdescribed previously for FIG. 21. Each information source corresponds toa node arranged along the first navigation path 1689. Each data portionof a particular information source corresponds to a node arranged alonga second navigation path 1690-1692. Thus, the second navigation path1690 corresponds to the data portions DA₁, . . . , DA₁₀₀ of informationsource A, the second navigation path 1691 corresponds to the dataportions DB₁, . . . , DB₁₀₀ of information source B and the secondnavigation path 1692 corresponds to the data portions DC₁, . . . , DC₁₀₀of information source C.

FIG. 23 illustrates the resizing of a KPI time series chart by means ofa pinch gesture. In step 202, the input device 1500 displays a firstview 1650 on the multi-touch screen, the first view comprising aplurality of first GUI elements together constituting a line chart. Theline chart comprises a curve 1604 representing a time series beingindicative of the development of a particular KPI value over the time.The time is indicated in an x-axis of the chart. The y-axis of the linechart corresponds to a KPI value of a particular person or department ata particular moment in time. The line chart comprises a plurality ofguidelines 1605-1611 being separate from each other by a first distance.When receiving, in step 2004, signal data being indicative of a gestureapplied by a user via the multi-touch screen on the GUI elementsconstituting the line chart, the line chart is rescaled. Said gesture isa pinch gesture of two fingers moving relative to each other.

In case the signal data indicates that the two fingers 1601 move awayfrom each other, the view is updated and the user zooms into the linechart, thereby increasing the distance between each guidelineproportionally to the relative movements of said two fingers. Whileexecuting the pinch gesture, at predefined time intervals time intervalssignal data packages are received and the diagram is continuouslyupdated in dependence on the received signal data packages. Thus, acontinuous monitoring of the pinch gesture is made possible.

Rescaling of the guidelines when zooming into the line chart isadvantageous, because the user intuitively and dynamically receivesvisual feedback on the degree of zooming. The result of zooming into theline chart of FIG. 23 a is depicted in FIG. 23 b.

The pinch gesture depicted in FIG. 23 and in FIG. 24 results in a changein the distance 1698 of the two fingers relative to each other. Thepinch gesture may be executed, for example, by executing a V-shapedgesture according to which the two fingers slide along the legs 1602,1603 of said V as depicted in FIG. 23. Likewise, the pinch gesture mayhave the form of any other gesture resulting in the change in thedistance 1698 between the two fingers. Depending on the slidingdirection, said two fingers will move apart from each other or willapproach one another.

According to embodiments, the x- as well as the y-axis components areboth recognized. The dynamically determined growth or decline of thedistance of the x-coordinates of the two sliding fingers on the screencorrelates with the re-scaling factor used for rescaling the x-axis ofthe line chart. The dynamically determined growth or decline of thedistance of the y-coordinates of the two sliding fingers correlates withthe re-scaling factor used for rescaling the y-axis of the line chart. Acorresponding embodiment also exists for the embodiment depicted in FIG.24 enabling a user to trigger the aggregation and disaggregation of KPIvalues and their dynamical display on a geographic map.

FIG. 24 illustrates the triggering of executing a drill down analysis ofKPI values by applying a pinch gesture on a geographical map. The inputdevice 1500 depicted in FIG. 24 a displays a view 1700 comprising ageographic map having multiple subregions 1701-1703. Geographicalsubregion 1702 comprises an aggregated KPI value KPI_(R)B=56,geographical subregion 1703 comprises an aggregated KPI valueKPI_(R)C=89 and geographical subregion 1701 comprises an aggregated KPIvalue KPI_(R)A=200. Said aggregated KPI values may have been aggregatedbased on a region graph as explained previously. A user executing withhis fingers 1601 a pinch gesture on the geographic map is empowered tozoom into the geographic map, thereby at the same time executing a drilldown analysis along the region graph. The drill down analysis results inthe calculation of one or more aggregated KPI values for the sub-regionsof the geographical region a user has zoomed into. For example,according to FIG. 24 a, the user applies a pinch gesture and zooms intogeographic subregion 1701. As a result, when updating the view independence on the result of the processing operation in step 2008, saidsubregion 1701 displays three aggregated KPI values KPI_(R)A₁=100,KPI_(R)A₁=40, KPI_(R)A₁=60, each of said three aggregated KPI valueshaving been calculated for sub-sub regions of sub-region 1701.

Accordingly, a user applying a pinch gesture on the geographic mapdisplayed in FIG. 24 b in which the distance between the two fingersdecreases zooms out of said geographic map. When zooming out of thegeographic map, an aggregation operation is executed on a higherhierarchical level of a region graph (drill up).

The depicted embodiment is particularly advantageous, becauseaggregating KPI values on different hierarchical levels of a graph, e.g.a region graph, can be triggered and executed in parallel with anoptically perceivable zooming action. The zooming action is particularlyintuitive because it is accompanied by a dynamically changing number ofaggregated KPI values said aggregated KPI values showing different datavalues on different zooming levels.

FIG. 25 illustrates a series of screenshots depicting possibledrag-and-drop paths on a first view and providing a preview of a secondview. Input device 1500 displays a window 1800 comprising a first view1809. The first few comprises a plurality of GUI elements 1801-1808. Oneof said GUI elements 1801 is selected. Said GUI elements couldrepresent, for example, an organization node within an organizationgraph. Said GUI element 1801 may comprise one or more data values whichshould be further processed. Said further processing is to be executedvia a second view. Users not familiar with an application program oftendo not know how to reach a particular view starting from a current view.The features described in the following may enable also a userunfamiliar with an application program to intuitively learn how to usesaid program.

Upon a user touching said one first GUI element by one of his fingersfor at least a first time period, the application program determineswhich of the GUI elements displayed in the first view may be used as adrag-and-drop target for displaying another view upon a drop action ofsaid first GUI element 8101 onto said target GUI element. Touching thefirst GUI element is recognized as first gesture, dragging and droppingsaid GUI element to a target GUI element is recognized as a secondgesture. For each of the determined target GUI elements 1802-1805, apointer GUI element 1814-1816 being indicative of a path from theselected first GUI element 1801 to said target GUI element is displayed.Said four pointer GUI elements are depicted in FIG. 25 b. The GUIelements 1806-1808 cannot act as target GUI elements. Therefore, nocorresponding pointer GUI element for GUI elements 1806-1808 aredetermined and displayed in FIG. 25 b upon selection of the first GUIelement 1801. Thus, a user being unfamiliar with an application programintuitively recognizes which drag-and-drop targets and correspondingprocessing operations are available for a particular GUI element 1801within a particular view 1809.

According to FIG. 25 c, the user may have decided to choose GUI element1803 as target. As soon as the user starts dragging the selected firstGUI element 1801 along the path indicated by the pointer GUI element1810, a second view 1820 appears. The appearing second view isdetermined automatically by the application program in dependence of thetarget GUI element chosen by the user. A plurality of second views mayexist, each view corresponding to a different application context and/orprocessing operation to be executed on data represented by the first GUIelement. A user choosing a particular target GUI element thus determineswhich kind of second view and corresponding application context shouldbe displayed and which further processing operation should be executed.

When executing the dragging operation by means of the finger of theuser, the portion of the displayed parts of the second view 1820proportionally correlates with the portion (i.e., the ratio of the areaof the second view covering the first view in relation to the area ofthe first view covered) of the path between the first GUI element 1801and the target GUI element 1803 already covered when executing thedragging gesture. This is indicated in FIGS. 25 c-25 f. When the userremoves this finger 1601 from the touch screen when having reached thetarget GUI element 1803, the selected first GUI element 1801 is droppedonto the target GUI element 1803. As a consequence, upon a refresh ofthe GUI, the second view represented by the target GUI element 1803 asdepicted in FIG. 25 f covers the first view completely. According toother embodiments (not shown), the selected first GUI element 1801 mayrepresent one or more KPIs. By dragging and dropping said KPI on atarget GUI element, e.g. onto a GUI element representing a particularorganization node of an organization graph, retrieval of said selectedKPIs for the organization node of the target GUI may be triggered. Saidretrieval may be executed, for example, via a plurality of web servicesproviding access to a database on a remote server 165. According toanother embodiment, a GUI element representing an organization node isdragged & dropped onto a GUI element representing a KPI.

FIG. 26 depicts an input device 1500 displaying via its multi-touchscreen a first view 1890 allowing a user to sort a set of data objectsin dependence on a selected KPI. A plurality of first GUI elements1871-1875 respectively represents one of a plurality of KPIs. GUIelement 1871 represents KPI “turnaround”. GUI element 1872 representsKPI “vacation days”. GUI element 1873 represents KPI “profit margin”.GUI element 1874 represents KPI “trainees”, i.e., the number of traineesan employee is responsible for. GUI element 1875 represents KPI “solditems”. A user may select any of said GUI elements 1871-1875 by touchingsaid element by two of his fingers as shown in FIG. 26 a.

When a signal is received in step 2004 that a two finger gesture isapplied on one of said first GUI elements, in step 2006 the sorting ofdata objects in dependence on the selected KPI is executed. As aconsequence, the KPI represented by the selected GUI element is used assorting criterion. In this case, the KPI “profit margin” is used assorting criterion. The selection of said KPI as sorting criteriontriggers a sorting process of a plurality of data objects. Each of saiddata objects is represented by a second GUI element 1881-1886. Forexample, the sorted data objects may be organization nodes of anorganization graph, in particular employees. Each data objectrepresenting an employee may comprise a KPI value of said employee foreach or for at least some of the KPIs available. Upon selection of oneof that KPIs as sorting criterion, the data objects representing theemployees are sorted according to said selected KPI. For example, uponhaving selected the KPI “profit margin”, all employees and correspondingGUI elements 1881-1886 are sorted in dependence on the profit marginvalue assigned to each particular employee data object. Then, uponhaving updated the first few in step 2008, a list of the second GUIelements 1881-1886 is displayed on the first few the list is sorted inaccordance with the sorting order of the sorted data objects. This isshown in FIG. 26 b. According to the depicted embodiment, the unsortedsecond GUI elements 1881-1886 are displayed to gather with the first GUIelements 1871-1875 together in the first view before selecting thesorting criterion and executing the sorting process (see FIG. 26 a).According to other embodiments (not shown), the second GUI elements arenot visible before a KPI was selected as sorting criterion. In thiscase, the second GUI elements are displayed in the first view only afterhaving executed the sorting step.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart of a method for selecting a data set from aplurality of data sets by means of a multi-touch input device. In step1902, a view is displayed by the multi-touch screen of the input device1500, the view comprising a plurality of GUI elements 1501-1505,1551-1555, 1601-1603. One of the GUI elements of the view is used ascurrent GUI element 1501, 1555. In step 1904, a motion sensing unit ofthe input device detects one or more first tilting motions. In step1906, at least one candidate GUI element is determined in dependence onthe axis and direction of the one or more first tilting motions, independence on the current GUI element and in dependence on the topologyof the graph. The at least one determined candidate GUI element ishighlighted in step 1908. In step 1910 the acceleration sensing unitdetects a first shaking motion. In step 1911, upon the detection of thefirst shaking motion, the data set represented by the highlighted GUIelement is automatically selected.

FIG. 28 depicts a flowchart for executing a processing operation forspecifying a processing operation by means of a multi-touch inputdevice. In step 2002, a first view is displayed on a multi-touch screenof a mobile multi-touch input device. The first few comprises aplurality of first GUI elements. In step 204, signal data is received.The signal data is indicative of a gesture applied by a user on one ofthe first GUI elements via the multi-touch screen. Said gesture can be aone finger gesture or a two finger gesture. In step 2006, a processingoperation for displaying at least one KPI value is executed. Saidprocessing step is executed in dependence on the signal data, whereinthe processing operation is one of: sorting a set of data objects independence on a selected KPI values rescaling a line chart beingindicative of a KPI-value time series, aggregating a set of KPI values,dis-aggregating an aggregated KPI value or determining one or moresecond views being accessible by executing a further gesture on said onefirst GUI element. Finally, in step 2008, the first view is updated independence on the result of the processing operation. For example, theupdated view may comprise the result of the processing operation.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   -   100 computer system    -   102 key performance indicator (KPI) database    -   104 benchmarking database    -   106 software tools    -   108 backend data processing means    -   110 extractor component    -   112 database    -   114 frontend data processing means    -   116 chart    -   118 list    -   120 digital map    -   122 events    -   124 information channel    -   126 box    -   128 security access module    -   130 enterprise resource planning (ERP) system    -   132 computer system    -   150 client device    -   151 non-volatile storage medium    -   152 persistent database/said database    -   153 encryption/decryption module    -   154 processor    -   155 certificate    -   156 organization view    -   157 region view    -   158 top/low view    -   159 in-memory database/first database    -   160 third table    -   161 application program    -   162 network interface    -   163 second table    -   164 first table    -   165 server    -   166 first web service interface    -   167 second web service interface    -   168 third web service interface    -   169 zth web service interface    -   170 server database/second database    -   171 first table    -   172 second table    -   173 third table    -   174 organization graph    -   175 region graph    -   176 data aggregation module    -   177 processor    -   180 storage medium    -   181 learning module    -   182 event view    -   183 info channel view    -   300 organization graph    -   500 region graph    -   701 user    -   702 volatile memory    -   800-809 steps    -   1500 input device    -   1550 view    -   1501-1505 GUI elements    -   1508 view    -   1506 pop-up window    -   1551-1555 GUI elements    -   1558 rotatable circle    -   1559 image    -   1560 indication of possible rotation directions    -   1561 pop-up window    -   1570 tilting motion around the y-axis    -   1571 tilting motion    -   1600 view    -   1601 finger(s)    -   1602-1603 arrows indicating finger movement on screen    -   1604 KPI development curve    -   1605-1611 guidelines    -   1650 view comprising line chart    -   1681-1683 info-source panes    -   1684 scroll bar    -   1685 scroll pane    -   1686-1688 GUI element    -   1689 first navigation path    -   1690-1692 second navigation paths    -   1698 finger distance    -   1700 view comprising geographic map    -   1800 window comprising a first view    -   1801 selected first GUI element    -   1802-1808 first GUI elements    -   1802-1805 target GUI elements    -   1810-1813 pointer GUI elements    -   1814-1816 second GUI elements    -   1820 second view    -   1871-1875 GUI elements representing a KPI    -   1881-1886 GUI elements representing a data object    -   1890 view    -   1902-1911 steps    -   2002-2008 steps    -   2051 motion sensing unit    -   2052 acceleration sensing unit    -   2053 multi-touch screen    -   2054 processor    -   2055 storage medium

The invention claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method forspecifying a processing operation by means of a multi-touch inputdevice, the input device having an x-axis and y-axis orthogonal to saidx-axis, the x-axis defining a device-centered horizontal line from theleft to the right side of the input device, the y-axis defining adevice-centered vertical line from the bottom of the input device to thetop of the input device and the z axis defining a device-centeredvertical line from the back side to the front side of the input device,the input device comprising: a multi-touch screen, the methodcomprising: displaying a first view on the multi-touch screen, the firstview comprising a plurality of first GUI elements; receiving signal databeing indicative of a gesture applied by a user on one of the first GUIelements via the multi-touch screen, the gesture being a one-finger or atwo-finger gesture, wherein a two-finger gesture is a gesture whereintwo fingers keep in contact with the multi-touch screen while thetwo-finger gesture is executed; executing the processing operation independence on the signal data, wherein the processing operation isselected from the group consisting of: sorting a plurality of dateobjects, each data object having assigned at least one KPI value;rescaling a line-chart being indicative of a KPI-value time series;aggregating a set of KPI values; disaggregating an aggregated KPI value;and determining one or more second views accessible by executing afurther gesture on said on first GUI element; updating the first view independence on a result of the processing operation; wherein the one ormore second views are accessible by executing the further gesture onsaid one first GUI element; wherein each of the second views comprisesone or more second GUI elements for processing one or more KPI values;wherein the gesture consists of touching said one first GUI element byone finger for at least a first time period for selecting said first GUIelement; wherein the further gesture consists of dragging said one firstGUI element to a target GUI elements, the target GUI element being oneof the first GUI elements, by moving the finger along a path from saidone first GUI element to the target GUI element, thereby keeping intouch with the surface of the screen, and removing the finger from thescreen surface after having reached the target GUI element, therebydropping said one first GUI element on the second GUI element; whereineach of the target GUI elements represents one of the second views;wherein upon executing said dropping action, the display of the secondview represented by the target GUI element is triggered.
 2. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the processing operationis the sorting of the data objects, wherein each of the first GUIelements represents one of a plurality of different KPIs, wherein thegesture is a two-finger gesture, the two-finger gesture being a gestureof two fingers placed on one of said first GUI elements, whereby theposition of each of the fingers on said GUI element is not changed whileapplying the gesture; the method comprising: in case said two-fingergesture is applied for at least a first time period, selecting the KPIbeing represented by said one first GUI element; sorting the dataobjects according to their respectively assigned value of the selectedKPI; displaying a list of second GUI elements, each second GUI elementrepresenting one of said data objects, whereby the list is sorted inaccordance with the sorting of the data object.
 3. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein displaying the list ofsecond GUI elements according to the sorting of the data objects isimplemented such that the first GUI elements and the second GUI elementsare simultaneously displayed in the view before the two-finger gestureis applied, whereby the second GUI elements are not sorted or sorted inaccordance with another sorting order, and wherein as a consequence ofthe selection of the KPI, the second GUI elements are sorted and thefirst view is updated such that the list of second GUI elements issorted in accordance with the value of the selected KPI.
 4. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the processing operationis rescaling the line chart, wherein the first GUI element the gestureis applied on is the line chart, the x-axis of the line chartrepresenting a time axis, the y-axis representing a second scale forindicating the height of the KPI value of the line chart at any pointalong the time axis, the line chart comprising a plurality of verticalguide lines the guidelines being separated from each other by a firstdistance representing a first time period, the diagram comprising acurve being indicative of the development of the at least one KPI valueover time; wherein the gesture is a pinch gesture of two fingers placedon said line chart, whereby the distance of the two fingers along thex-axis increases or decreases during the execution of said pinchgesture; wherein the signal data comprises a plurality of signal datapackages received at a plurality of moments while executing the pinchgesture; the method further comprising: for each of the signal datapackages, updating the displayed diagram, wherein the first distanceincreases proportionally to an increasing distance of the two fingersalong the x-axis and wherein the first distance decreases proportionallyto a decreasing distance of the two fingers along the x-axis.
 5. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the pinch gesture isrecognized by means of a class library being operable to recognize andhandle pinch-gesture.
 6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4,wherein the pinch gesture is a V-shaped motion gesture of two fingersmoving in parallel along the two legs of said V, wherein the line-chartcomprises further guidelines in parallel to the x-axis of the linechart, wherein the y-axis of the line chart and the distance between therespective further guidelines is rescaled proportionally to the distanceof the two fingers along the y-axis, said distance changing dynamicallyin dependence on the V-shaped finger gesture.
 7. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the processing operationis dis-aggregating the set of KPI values, wherein the first GUI elementthe two-finger gesture is applied on is a geographic map, wherein ascreen distance between any two objects displayed on the screen showingthe geographic map is proportional to a physical distance of twocorresponding physical objects, the proportionality being based on ageographic scale; wherein the geographic map comprises, for each of oneor more first geographic sub-regions, at least one first aggregated KPIvalue having been aggregated on a first plurality of data objects storedin association with said first geographic sub-regions; wherein thegesture is a pinch gesture of two fingers placed on said one first GUIelement, whereby the distance of the two fingers; wherein the signaldata comprises a plurality of signal data packages received at aplurality of moments while executing the two-finger gesture; the methodfurther comprising: for each of the signal data packages, updating thegeographic scale and the displayed geographic map; wherein each updateof the geographic map is executed in accordance with the updatedgeographic scale, wherein the geographic scale is modifiedproportionally to an increasing distance of the two fingers relative toeach other such that the user zooms into the displayed geographic map,thereby displaying one or more second geographic sub-regions, eachsecond sub-region being a sub-region of one of the first geographicsub-regions; and for each of the second geographic sub-regions,calculating and displaying a second aggregated KPI value, each secondaggregated KPI value being calculated by aggregating KPI values of asecond plurality of data objects stored in association with said secondsub-region.
 8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein eachof the first and second geographic sub-region is a geographic node of ahierarchical region graph, wherein the second geographic sub-regionnodes are child-nodes of the first geographic sub-region nodes andwherein the region graph is used as a drill-down graph for executing adrill-down analysis, wherein zooming into the map by means of thetwo-finger gesture triggers the execution of a disaggregation ofaggregated KPI-values in accordance with the topology of the regiongraph and in accordance with the updated geographic scale.
 9. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the processing operationis aggregating the set of KPI values, wherein the one of the first GUIelement the two-finger gesture is applied on is a geographic map,wherein a screen distance between any two objects displayed on thescreen showing the geographic map is proportional to a physical distanceof two corresponding physical objects, the proportionality being basedon a geographic scale; wherein the geographic map comprises, for each ofone or more first geographic sub-regions, at least one first aggregatedKPI value having been aggregated on a first plurality of data objectsstored in association with said first geographic sub-regions; whereinthe gesture is a pinch gesture of two fingers placed on said one firstGUI element, whereby the distance of the two fingers decreases duringthe execution of said two-finger gesture; wherein the signal datacomprises a plurality of signal data packages received at a plurality ofmoments while executing the two-finger gesture; the method furthercomprising: for each of the signal data packages, updating thegeographic scale and the displayed geographic map; wherein each updateof the geographic map is executed in accordance with the updatedgeographic scale, wherein the geographic scale is modifiedproportionally to a decreasing distance of the two fingers relative toeach other such that the user zooms out of the displayed geographic map,thereby displaying one or more third geographic sub-regions, each thirdgeographic sub-region being a super-region of one or more of the firstgeographic sub-regions; and for each of the third geographicsub-regions, calculating and displaying a third aggregated KPI value,each third aggregated KPI value being calculated by aggregating KPIvalues of a third plurality of data objects stored in association withany of the first sub-region being a sub-region of said third sub-region.10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein each of thefirst and third geographic sub-regions are geographic nodes of ahierarchical region graph, wherein the first geographic sub-region nodesare child-nodes of the third geographic sub-region nodes and wherein theregion graph is used as a drill-down graph for executing a drill-downanalysis, wherein zooming out of the map by means of the pinch gesturetriggers the execution of an aggregation of KPI-values in accordancewith the topology of the region graph and in accordance with the updatedgeographic scale.
 11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,further comprising: selecting the one first GUI element on which thegesture was applied; upon receiving the signal data, determining one ormore target GUI elements to which the selected first GUI element can bedragged, said dragging to be executed by means of further gesture;displaying, for each of the target GUI elements, a pointer GUI elementbeing indicative of the path from the selected first GUI element to saidtarget GUI element; upon receiving further signal data indicating adragging movement of the selected first GUI element to one of the targetGUI elements, displaying parts of the second view represented by saidone target GUI element.
 12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11,wherein the portion of the displayed parts of the second view correlateswith the portion of the path already covered while executing the furthergesture, and wherein the portion of the second view displayed is 0% atthe moment when selecting the one first GUI element and is 100% at themoment when the selected first GUI element is dropped on the target GUIelement.
 13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein theportion of the displayed parts of the second view and the portion of thefirst view together cover 100% of the screen and wherein the portion ofthe first view is 100% at the moment when selecting the one first GUIelement and is 0% at the moment when the selected first GUI element isdropped onto the target GUI element.
 14. The computer-implemented methodof claim 13, wherein the portion of the displayed parts of the secondview increases as a result of executing a sliding movement on the secondview along the selected path, the sliding movement of the second viewbeing executed in the same speed and direction as the dragging movementof the finger, the second view thereby covering and hiding a growingportion of the first view.
 15. The computer-implemented method of claim11, wherein the second view is transparent as long as the second viewcovers only parts of the first view, and wherein the second view turnsopaque at the moment of dropping the selected first GUI element onto thetarget GUI element.
 16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11,wherein in case the user removes his finger from the screen whileexecuting the dragging movement and before the finger has reached thetarget GUI element, displaying the second view or a portion thereof isterminated and no data manipulation operation is executed on data of theselected first GUI element.
 17. The computer-implemented method of claim11, wherein the selected first GUI element represents a KPI and whereinthe second view represented by the target GUI element comprises at leastone GUI element for aggregating, disaggregating and/or displaying one ormore values of said KPI, or wherein the selected first GUI elementrepresents an organization node of an organization graph having assigneda value of said KPI and wherein the second view represented by thetarget GUI element comprises at least one GUI element for displayingadditional information stored in association with the organization nodeof represented by the selected GUI element.
 18. A computer-readablenon-transitory storage medium being contained in a multi-touchinput-device, the storage medium comprising computer-interpretableinstructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor toexecute a method for specifying a processing operation, the methodcomprising: displaying a first view on a multi-touch screen of the inputdevice, the first view comprising a plurality of first GUI elements;receiving signal data being indicative of a gesture applied by a user von one of the first GUI elements via the multi-touch screen, the gesturebeing a one-finger or a two-finger gesture, wherein a two-finger gestureis a gesture in which two fingers both keep in contact with themulti-touch screen while the two-finger gesture is executed; executingthe processing operation in dependence on the signal data, wherein theprocessing operation is selected from the group consisting of: sorting aplurality of data objects, each data object having assigned at least oneKPI value; rescaling a line-chart being indicative of a KPI-valueseries; aggregating a set of KPI values; dis-aggregating an aggregatedKPI value; determining one or more second views accessible by executinga further gesture on said one first GUI element; updating the first viewin dependence on a result of the processing operation; wherein the oneor more second views are accessible by executing the further gesture onsaid one first GUI element, wherein each of the second views comprisesone or more second GUI elements for processing one or more KPI values;wherein the gesture consists of touching said one first GUI element byone finger for at least a first time period for selecting said first GUIelement; wherein the further gesture consists of dragging said one firstGUI element to a target GUI elements, the target GUI element being oneof the first GUI elements, by moving the finger along a path from saidone first GUI element to the target GUI element, thereby keeping intouch with the surface of the screen, and removing the finger from thescreen surface after having reached the target GUI element, therebydropping said one first GUI element on the second GUI element; whereineach of the target GUI elements represents one of the second views;wherein upon executing said dropping action, the display of the secondview represented by the target GUI element is triggered.
 19. Amulti-touch input device, the input device having an x-axis and y-axisorthogonal to said x-axis, the x-axis defining a device-centredhorizontal line from the left to the right side of the input device, they axis defining a device-centred vertical line from the bottom of theinput device to the top of the input device and the z axis defining adevice-centred vertical line from the back side to the front side of theinput device, the input device comprising: a multi-touch screen, aprocessor, a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructionswhich, when executed by the processor cause the processor to execute amethod for specifying a processing operation, the method comprising:displaying a first view on the multi-touch screen, the first viewcomprising a plurality of first GUI elements; receiving signal databeing indicative of a gesture applied by a user on one of the first GUIelements via the multi-touch screen, the gesture being a one-finger or atwo-finger gesture, wherein a two-finger gesture is a gesture in whichtwo fingers both keep in contact with the multi-touch screen while thetwo-finger gesture is executed; executing the processing operation independence on the signal data, wherein the processing operation isselected from the group consisting of: sorting a plurality of dataobjects, each data object having assigned at least one KPI value;rescaling a line-chart being indicative of a KPI-value time series;aggregating a set of KPI values; determining one or more second viewsaccessible by executing a further gesture on said one first GUI element;updating the first view in dependence on a result of the processingoperation; wherein the one or more second views are accessible byexecuting the further gesture on said one first GUI element, whereineach of the second views comprises one or more second GUI elements forprocessing one or more KPI values; wherein the gesture consists oftouching said one first GUI element by one finger for at least a firsttime period for selecting said first GUI element; wherein the furthergesture consists of dragging said one first GUI element to a target GUIelements, the target GUI element being one of the first GUI elements, bymoving the finger along a path from said one first GUI element to thetarget GUI element, thereby keeping in touch with the surface of thescreen, and removing the finger from the screen surface after havingreached the target GUI element, thereby dropping said one first GUIelement on the second GUI element; wherein each of the target GUIelements represents one of the second views; wherein upon executing saiddropping action, the display of the second view represented by thetarget GUI element is triggered.